


The Marital Convolution

by beeprimo



Category: The Big Bang Theory (TV)
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:40:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 107,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24785557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beeprimo/pseuds/beeprimo
Summary: Sheldon and Amy are finally married—on a whim. No more outstanding contracts or agreement that has yet to be accomplished. No more parents who are always riding on their backs. But what it entails is a whirlwind of secrets, opportunities, desolation, and estranged family members.  Set on S07-S08. Shamy AUA sequel to The Covenant Observation. First posted on FF.Net
Relationships: Sheldon Cooper/Amy Farrah Fowler
Kudos: 9





	1. Hanover Hangover

_December 13, 2014_

The crackling of the wood fire resounded across the ample living room. Amy reclined back in her much-coveted La-Z-Boy, which came with the place, letting the soft cushion cradle her spine. A warm and cozy blanket—given as a thoughtful gift from someone very close to her—enveloped her across the shoulders.

_There's no harm in wanting_ , she thought dreamily. If only she could just bring that recliner everywhere, she'll be most definitely in constant heaven.

The snowbound town oddly brought warmth into her introverted self. She promised to herself to visit this town once again when the time comes.

It was 3 PM on a cold winter's day. The snow had been welcoming since morning, but she managed to have some work done.

Half-day of work just concluded an hour ago. She still needed to punch in for work for a few more days before her winter break. Good thing was, the work she'd left was nothing but writing up a few undemanding reports and submitting her to the academic head. Nothing stressful.

In fact, she can always do it in the comfort of her home but her workplace was within the compound. More often than not, she would walk in the morning, feeling the winter breeze as it hit her face. To say the least, it was both rejuvenating and a bit nippy.

Now that she can think of, that week may be the last week before the temperature drops to low 20s. She witnessed how this breathtaking town transitioned from bright, autumnal leaves to snow-white branches. Day by day, she marveled at its subtle wonders.

In the meantime, the fireplace was giving her the much needed heat to survive the cold and, of course, the isolation from anyone she knew. With a warm mug cupped in her hands, she blew out the vapor coming from it, somehow obstructing her glasses. It was hot cocoa with tiny marshmallows. She partnered it with a few soft pretzels she bought on the way home.

_Hot cocoa…_

He would most certainly be delighted to share a cup with her. Also, a sanctioned one too since the month has an 'r' in it.

She couldn't fathom that year's intense figurative rollercoaster ride. She started working at Caltech on a grant, stumbled across Sheldon (even though they do have different work schedules), getting along with Sheldon again, Sheldon revealing to her he was obligated to find a wife (she didn't know what that meant at first), coincidentally had a date with Sheldon, Sheldon asking her to get married, and eventually her accepting his offer.

Amy chuckled at the very thought of Sheldon being an integral part of her year. Her first year back in California, after almost two years of estrangement, and she already got to experience all those things, not to mention her career propelling too.

It was deeply consuming ups and downs that fueled her to be grateful for everything. For her new friends. For her job opportunity. For that specific someone who managed to be by her side.

It has been three months since her shift to this town. She couldn't, for the love God, figure out why she accepted to go to this place, let alone move in it for the time being.

When she was still a student in Boston, it was alright; she managed to soldier through the winter wonderland of Harvard. She even made do of one winter break without even going back home to California. One of the best winters of her life.

Well, now, she couldn't fool anyone; she was much younger then. Everybody knows that physiology tends to alter through aging, and certainly, it really did take hold of her body.

And it seemed like Boston was not that cold for her, either. This, this was pretty much her threshold in terms of winter. She'll probably drag Sheldon to Texas so she wouldn't experience this kind of cold in the future. That is if she's able to get a hold of him.

But also, it was relieving that she was able to experience this town. This place was no way near the urbanized Pasadena, even less than the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles. No high rise infrastructure impeding the view. No extravagant cars lurking the city—not that she saw anything of that kind. Not even loudmouthed locals.

It was just a quaint, university town ensconced by college kids and a few locals, keeping the town running. Nature was her neighbor in this town. Never in her wildest dreams that she'll be able to survive in such a small town, much less in the winter.

It was an opportunity of a lifetime and she was not one to turn down that chance. That's when things got a little out of hand and unforeseen events seemed to separate the both of them farther and farther away. It was as though the distance between them physically was not enough, fate decided to pull them apart even further that she didn't know what their status was anymore.

She knew the communication dwindled down. He must have, too. Almost for a month now. She didn't have much information as to why. It just did. For all she knew, she did something to trigger their lack of communication.

Her trance was interrupted by the sound of something vibrating. Pushing herself up, letting the blanket slide off her body, she gently set her mug and looked around for that noise. She then looked at the coffee table, illuminated by the fire in the background, and grabbed her phone. It was odd to receive a call at that time of day, considering there was no important matter to be discussed with anybody.

A huge smile plastered on her lips as she saw who was calling. The display of his name initiated a series of emotions: from excitement to frustration, from peace of mind to worry.

" _Hello . . ."_

* * *

_December 13, 2014_

"Uh-huh . . ." Sheldon jadedly replied with the phone on his left ear.

"Yeah . . ."

He unconsciously fiddled with the hem of his shirt and limply laid across his bed with a forearm across his forehead.

"No . . ."

"No . . ."

He groaned, exhausted.

"Uh-huh . . . still no . . ."

_"Buh-bye."_ he dropped the call, sighing as he did so. That was the most tedious call he'd ever received since last year's holidays.

Christmas and New Year's were right around the corner and as usual, he couldn't care less. Why would he anyway?

It was his mother who just called. Just out of the blue, the phone rang despite him not anticipating anyone to call. And of course, with the holidays coming, it was no doubt that Mary Cooper would beg his son to go home for Christmas.

Mary called and asked him if he was going home for the holidays. And like he said quite a few times throughout the past decade, he would not celebrate it with them. The only exception was when his sister gave birth just in time for Christmas, and he was obligated to be present in his brother-in-law's stead.

He came for the impending birth, and not for the holiday festivities.

Speaking of holidays, he didn't know what to do if Christmas came. He was oblivious.

He reckoned he could shut out from the outside world. He might be able to formulate a groundbreaking achievement in that given time. It had been a while since he had a physics marathon.

With Leonard and Penny going to Nebraska; and Howard, Bernadette, and third wheel Raj spending the holiday an hour away to Bernadette's parents' house, he's left there, in his apartment, nowhere to go, and no one to be with.

Another thought was flying to where Amy is and spending Christmas with her.

But he was dubious about talking to Amy. It has been a while and he didn't know if she wanted to talk to him after what he did or, rather, what he _said._

Sheldon was caught in between his desire to sort it out with Amy or just sulk in his apartment while she was miles away and spending her time with God knows who.

It was a repulsive thought. More than he can imagine.

Amy spending her winter nights alone, that was what he was thinking. Or maybe she found another intellect to keep her warm on those frigid nights. Another man paying her a visit and keeping her company. Things he'd never done before will be done by another.

Sheldon shook his head aggressively, attempting to push away that repugnant thought prowling its way into his system. " _Why'd you think she would do that, Cooper?!"_

He never understood why Amy would rather stay in that dull, deserted place rather than stay in the comfort of his home. He can provide for her! He can be what others want him to be!

He always assumed that she'll be spending the holiday with him seeing that she will definitely get a winter break. It'd be harsh if she didn't. She can always return back there as soon as the holidays die down and continue with her work. He thought she'll be able to think of that.

Winter break has officially commenced. The burden of being a professor lifted away, just for a short while that is.

His classes took their final exams that very week and he was grateful that he'll be able to rest from the caprices of his students. He never thought he would enjoy not working. He'd rather do research work after the classes were finished but Seibert asserted that he should be enjoying the break. He couldn't argue; those youngsters drained the life out of him.

It was a Saturday afternoon. He heard Penny and Bernadette were doing their last-minute Christmas shopping, which didn't surprise him at all. After hearing that, he knew it would only be seconds before the guys would force him into doing something.

His friends invited him into an afternoon of board games at Howard's place, but he declined profusely at the disguise of his laundry night. Sheldon said that the invitation would impede his intricate process of doing his laundry.

The guys were worried. Not only did he refuse but leading up to that day, he did nothing but eat and sleep. He didn't even care about the exam he was supposed to supervise on behalf of a colleague. Leonard was called instead to take charge and let Sheldon get on his way.

But they knew they couldn't do anything unless they're Mary Cooper or Amy Farrah Fowler, who both were thousands of miles away.

Sheldon was a force to be reckoned with, and they wouldn't even try to stop him. From all they've experienced in the past, they already knew what they'll do. Their best shot was to just to keep Sheldon under observation and not do anything that would make him lose his mind.

Sheldon pushed himself up from his bed and threw his phone inside his messenger bag, lying limply on the floor. He halted for a while contemplating if what he'll do was the best for him.

With all thought, he decided he needed to get out at that very place before anyone else leave him there. He doesn't want to see his friends' pity faces when they leave him.

He packed his bag, bringing all the necessary clothing he needed. He thought he would just wing it, just like his train adventure. A lot has come forth from that trip. Who knows? He'll probably get some sense into him if he goes away again.

But this time he'd bring his belongings with him to have a foolproof journey. Robbers wouldn't even have a chance.

With a small suitcase and his messenger bag slung across his body, he made out of his room, still confused if he'd eaten already or not; food was the last thing on his mind. He just grabbed his passport, a few cash hidden in various inconspicuous places, in the likes of action figures, a pack of granola bar, and headed his way out.

All itineraries with be dealt with on the way. What he wanted was to have an escape from that place.


	2. Black Speech and Yellow Cars

_August 1, 2014_

_He rapidly swooped down at Amy but it slowed down when his lips touched hers. She knew it was longer than the first one, and Sheldon snuck in a cheeky bite on her lower lip before he retreated back. He still had this teasing smile on his face as he waited for her response._

_"B-Brilliant idea you got there, Dr. Cooper," Amy stammered, oblivious on what's to come._

_He tilted his head in interest. "Didn't you notice that I usually go by three's, Dr. Fowler."_

_Amy gasped lightly only to be cut off by another kiss._

* * *

"Um . . . A-Amy, can you drive . . . " Sheldon sheepishly asked. She was walking ahead of him when he suddenly that toss out that request. "Please?" he followed up with his pleading voice.

Amy turned around, halting both of them from walking. "Oh, I thought you wanted to drive me around town," she replied jokingly, hoping Sheldon would take that easily.

They just exited the courthouse, an hour and a half after they entered. They entered with their singularity, and leaving, well . . . bound to each other.

He did what he promised: Amy got and will forever keep her surname. This was not surprising since he knew Amy was a woman of her beliefs. He admired that quality of her. She's still the same from when they met. Her morals were intact and couldn't be shattered even if he wished to.

Everything went smoothly with their ceremony: pulling up in the parking area, which, thankfully, had a lot of unoccupied spaces; acquiring their marriage license; even sitting down and situating themselves while waiting was a no-brainer. Every time he does something in public, Sheldon always fear that he'll do something stupid, even in accomplishing a menial task. And having done everything seamlessly, it was a relief.

However, Amy didn't deem it as a mishap (almost but not quite), when he asked about being tested for STDs as a prerequisite to acquiring a marriage license, all eyes were on him, including Amy's. There was that slight glare but, nonetheless, her gaze softened when how innocent that query really was.

Vows were the conventional ones too; neither of them prepared their own, they just went with what was provided. Sheldon said his vows first and, although he's always regarded as monotonous and stringent at times, he delivered it with the utmost amount of warmth only he could do.

Needless to say, the officiant was weirded out by his manner of speaking. On the other hand, Amy felt the words coming from him latch onto her, even though he was only reading it from a small card. She was relieved when Sheldon gave her a cheeky smile followed by a quick wink before her very eyes like he was delighted with the time being. That's all it took for all tension in her body to disappear.

"Why do you want me to drive?" Amy waited for him to reach her before they continued walking towards the parking lot, side by side.

"As the groom, I am obligated to arrange a reception for you." She immediately turned her head towards him. "A small function, if you will. Provided that you allow me to, of course," he explained as he handed her the keys. Amy willingly accepted it but it was accompanied by confusion.

 _A function? What is he talking about?_ she thought to herself.

"Umm . . ." She cocked her head. "W-Where do you want to go then?" she asked, pushing the unlock button on her key fob.

Perhaps Sheldon just wanted to visit the comic book store to show her around his beloved haven. Or maybe he wanted to go to that train store in Arcadia where, in his own words, has the best collection of HO gauge train sets he has ever laid eyes upon

"I really wanted to eat at Carney's," he disclosed abashedly, as though the idea was mere pointless. As if he'd developed that habit, he automatically held the door for Amy before he ran to the passenger side.

Well, it was a close guess for Amy. Perhaps, a near miss. It's like she can read his mind. Of course, trains were always a possibility.

"I'll guess; no one would take you there?" she asked once Sheldon opened the door and sat beside her.

He sighed in defeat. "My mother brought me once when I moved here in California and started attending Caltech, however, I knew that she only did that because she dragged me along Hollywood Boulevard just to find Ronald Reagan's star. Well, she thought that would indemnify what she did to me." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Did it?"

"Yes . . ." he admitted, ashamed that what his mother did is well effective. It was demeaning to admit that, indeed, after a long day of being appointed to find Reagan's insubstantial dirt plaque, a trip to an authentic rail car-turned-restaurant was more than a treat.

Amy put the key in and the engine clamored to life. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. "How about your friends? I'm sure they've brought you there, right?"

"Leonard did. But that was years ago when he recently moved into the apartment. They wouldn't drive me anymore because, according to Howard, ' _I blab too much'_ ," he mocked the way Howard commented that.

It was that one instance when Leonard was already a year into his residency in their apartment. Leonard already took him there once but refused to take him into the other branch, since according to him, " _They're just the same, Sheldon!"_ He really did argue that the experience wouldn't be complete if not both Carney's were visited.

A few months after that deplorable argument with Leonard, another opportunity to visit Carney's was laid out in front of him. Gullible Howard and Raj, but more on Raj and his sister, insisted to go to one since they've never been. As though oceans parted in two, Sheldon overheard the exchange and invited himself in. He tagged along, demanded to go to the Studio City branch, and won over his friends.

Howard and Raj didn't like their experience, much like what Leonard suffered a few months before that.

To say the least, his friends made a pact to never bring him to anything train-themed to elude from his unbridled sermon.

"Oh, poor you . . ." Amy cooed truthfully.

Sheldon nodded in remorse, conceding to Amy's statement. "I just love their creativity. Using a Union Pacific rail car to be the iconic facade of Carney's? It's just stupendous!" he shrieked, staring back at her who was occupied with backing out the car.

"Sure did. I even remembered my parents bringing me to Studio City just to eat there. But that was an hour's drive and they didn't want to drive me anymore. When I finally moved to Glendale, it didn't even cross my mind to visit that place."

"Well, we get to visit it now," he circled back to his very agenda: to convince Amy to drive him.

The look on his face exhibited utter mirth. His eyes were twinkling eagerly. His lips curled into a small yet enticing smile. His eyebrows shot up in anticipation. Overall, not a soul could resist his plea.

"That's why you wanted me to drive, huh?" she teased but still the confusion didn't elude her.

"I'm really not comfortable driving for more than ten minutes. It's a wonder how I did an hour of driving back in Texas. It's a national highway, no less."

"Maybe that was the adrenaline taking over you."

"Definitely. I panicked when no one from my family was willing to fetch me from Houston. Of course there was always that Greyhound bus, but who has the time to ignore strangers anyway?" he condescendingly answered.

Amy gave him a quick understanding look, before asking him the question: "Studio City or Sunset Boulevard?"

He thought for a second. "Studio City. The other one got too Hollywood for my liking." He scrunched his nose and gestured his mouth in disgust. "And besides, Studio City is closer, don't you think?"

The vehicle succumbed into silence. Sheldon's got a lot to say but he didn't initially categorize his thoughts; it slipped off his mind, so to speak.

He could always go with how she was feeling. After what happened to Amy in the morning, it truly troubled him to see her like that. It was a bit similar to what happened to Penny's uneventful fall in her bath. But, at least, Penny informed him of the exact injury she had. With Amy, he needed to figure it out himself because she was unconscious.

However, he thought twice about asking her. Since she woke up, he'd already asked her for more than ten times, making her tired of answering him.

Another idea was to inquire about his performance at the courthouse. Did he sell it to the people that he is a man who is deeply in love with Amy to eventually marry her? Was he too much of a droid to impress Amy? There was never a day where he wouldn't hear that remark from his friends.

As they were cruising along the freeway, the best possible question popped to mind.

"Do the rings fit fine?" he asked.

It's not the best of the best but, at least, it's not the worst.

"Yes they do," Amy answered back as she slightly lifted her ring finger from the steering wheel.

The rings glistened from the sunlight's reflection. When they were just exiting the apartment, getting ready to ride the car to the city hall, Sheldon gave a ring box. It stunned her to have seen a very intricate ring, which he told was a gift from his Meemaw.

And then, when she couldn't think of anything that he would do to surprise her, Sheldon pulled out a slightly larger ring box from his pocket as they were finishing their vows.

She thought the family heirloom was enough, but Sheldon didn't think twice to give her another one. In his defense, the minute they finished the ceremony, he whispered that it felt wrong to not give her a wedding band. And he supplemented that he got the pair as a discount; so that's a win-win for him.

"By the way, what prompted you to buy rings?" She furrowed her forehead befuddlement

"It felt like it was the right thing to do." He shrugged. "Do you like it?"

"More than you can imagine," Amy responded with earnest intentions. Sheldon beamed at her genuinely, as if his intuitions weren't disappointing him.

_What are the odds of Amy disapproving it?_

"Good to know," he whispered, running his fingernails on his slacks.

"But you know, we never told anyone of your friends. So I have to hide it away when I see them," she insinuated, which got Sheldon thinking.

"You can wear it on your right ring finger," he suggested, pointing at her right hand. "That is what I'll do," he encouraged as he removed his ring from his left hand and transferred it meticulously on his right hand. He observed how the fit was seamless as if his fingers were symmetrical.

"Hmm . . ." Amy paused.

They made a turn towards the bright yellow establishment. The glimmer in Sheldon's face never faltered; it even intensified when they went past LA Zoo and even not being able to get a good glimpse of it, the enthusiasm still remained etched.

Amy maneuvered the car to park and turned her head to Sheldon "Don't you think they'll be suspicious once they see us both wearing rings?"

"Ah!" He clapped his hands together as though he was a hundred percent sure about something. They exited the car together. He missed the chance to open the door for her but Amy didn't mind it at all.

The eye-catching railroad crossing sign with ' _HOTDOGS'_ and ' _HAMBURGERS',_ inscribed in each intersecting beam, and an equally massive round sign with ' _CARNEYS'_ welcomed them even just from a distance.

The distinctive yellow rail car awed everyone who would see it, including the both of them. From the outside, the interior of the restaurant was visible and, considering the time of day, there were fewer patrons than what it would have been if it was rush hour.

They both seemed overdressed, with their semi-formal attire, but no one really cared. Sheldon left his suit jacket in the car, leaving him with his Star Trek tie and his dress shirt. For Amy, she couldn't really remove any clothing she was wearing; it would, no doubt, cause an uneventful commotion. She just kept her usually down hair into a ponytail to alleviate the heat.

"I'm certain that they wouldn't," Sheldon responded to Amy's doubts about their secret.

They entered the establishment through the door located at the apex of the wagon. Before Amy could contest his confident assumption, he diverted, "Wait, I'll order first. What do you want?"

She looked up at the menu, contemplating. "New Yorker and . . . a Vanilla milkshake!" she announced. "Wait, I'll pay for my share." She instantly grabbed her purse. As she was about to retrieve her money to pay, Sheldon held pushed her hand away.

"No. Keep that. I will pay for these," he said as he reached for his back pocket.

She gazed at him, amused. _Is he trying to impress me?_

She disregarded the thought and, instead, roamed her eyes across the restaurant. Not much to see, but there were a lot of free spaces that she could just pick anywhere. Amy walked the remaining feet to her chosen spot and waited for Sheldon with their order.

Minutes passed and he sat across her bringing a tray of their food. Immediately, her mouth watered from the delectable grub. She and Sheldon didn't have the chance to eat a proper meal for lunch, but the display surely made her stomach grumble.

"Thank you," she expressed her gratitude before carefully shoving a bite on her mouth.

If Amy was amused with him a few minutes ago, it now seemed that he had been beguiled by her. What's worse was that Amy appeared starving. He can't believe that that woman convinced him that it was okay if they didn't have a full meal for lunch, but it turned out to be the opposite.

She was clearly hungry and so was he. And he couldn't believe that he endured that 25-minute drive. But what he ordered, and what Amy ordered, seemed to justify their hunger.

As he took his first bite, Amy was done with her first and was ready to continue their abandoned discussion.

She carefully put down her hotdog and asked the question, "How certain are you that they wouldn't even notice it?"

Sheldon grabbed a napkin and wiped his lips. "Because it is unconventional to wear your wedding band on the right hand. They wouldn't even care."

"But if they saw us together and we are wearing fairly similar rings, I'm sure it would raise suspicions. Don't you think?"

"Remove your wedding ring," he ordered as he removed his own. She didn't even react the first time, but when Sheldon, gestured his hand to convince Amy to do what he demanded, she instantly handed her the band which had flushed stones on the surface.

Sheldon flashed her a smile of acknowledgment. He showed her his ring first.

"You see this?" Amy squinted her eyes in confusion. What Sheldon pointed out seemed all gibberish to her. "That's the 'One Ring' inscription from The Lord of the Rings written in Tengwar script but the language itself is in Black Speech . . . well, this is only an excerpt of it," he explained, giving his ring a good look

She cocked her head to the side. "But why did you have that engraved?"

"I always wanted to have a ring with this inscription. I had a chance when we found that prop ring from years ago but Leonard was being a whiny baby and returned it back to Peter Jackson. It didn't cross my mind for a while but this seemed like a perfect opportunity to have it finally engraved."

She peeked on the inside of her ring and was confused with what she didn't see. "But why not mine?" she asked, pointing at the ring on the table.

Sheldon shrugged. "I didn't know if you like The Lord of the Rings."

Amy nodded. "Fair point. But why are my initials engraved here?" she lifted up the ring from the table and saw _AFF_ engraved on the interior of her own ring. "Shouldn't your spouse's initials be engraved, instead of mine? Why not _SC_ in my ring?" she inquired further.

From what she gathered from years of sporadic meetings and communication with Sheldon, he was a man of conventions. He always thrived to conform to the social norm despite his difficulty in understanding what the norms usually are. However, he always had a novel approach that really amused her in the long run.

He flashed her a haughty albeit understanding look. "Because you are your own, Amy. No one deserves to be written in your ring. Not even mine. In my ring, I had my initials too," he paraded his actions.

It seemed rude and condescending at first, but what he said was the most romantic thing she'd ever heard. Gone are the days where "I love you" and "You are my world" were considered as romantic. That, single-handedly, made Amy's heart skip a beat being wonderstruck by Cassanova Cooper.

She stared in awe at her ring. Under her breath, she muttered, "Wow."

It was the only word that she could muster uttering. She didn't know if the hotdog sandwich's deliciousness was a factor to it, but she knew that the words from Sheldon definitely made her react that way.

"And it coincided with us keeping the secret. If and when they get suspicious even before we reveal it to them, I would just simply show my ring, and if they see what was inscribed, which does not imply any relation to what we just did, all suspicions will dissipate."

And to think that Sheldon was just disregarding that very thought, left Amy more amused by the man. It was a flawless pick-up line from a man who doesn't even know what pick-up lines are even if one smacked him in the face.

She declared, "You really live up to your ingenuity."

* * *

"Do you want to come inside?" Sheldon stepped in and made way for her.

Amy peeked her head around the apartment and hesitated, "Leonard and Penny will arrive at this time right?"

He moved the sleeve of his dress shirt to look at his obscured watch. "It's only a quarter to five. I'm certain they wouldn't be home until six o'clock. Leonard still has to bring dinner, so that adds up to the time until he goes home."

Amy agreed, following him inside his apartment.

"I'll go change into my pajamas so they wouldn't see me wearing these," Sheldon declared as he was about to enter his bedroom, but not before Amy interrupted.

"Wait! Can I get my clothes in your room? I need to change too."

Sheldon nodded his head and made way for Amy. She instantaneously grabbed a duffel bag she brought up right after she rested this morning. Leaning down in order to reach it, Sheldon averted his eyes to anywhere else as to not stare at her behind.

Sheldon returned back to his room and started to strip himself. He loosened his tie, unbuckled his belt, let his trousers fall down to gravity. He pulled out his drawer and retrieved his supposed Friday outfit.

He knew that he wouldn't be wearing it for too long; he's got to change into his pajamas in only under four hours. It was just a ruse to convince his friends, who were spending dinner at his apartment, that he did nothing at home but recuperate and did some menial tasks.

As he finished changing into his day clothes, Sheldon exited the room with the sound of the other door simultaneously opening with his door. He nonchalantly looked to the right, expecting to see Amy, but instead, no one has exited the room.

The slight bang of the door winded him. Amy was nowhere to be found, the bathroom lights were already lit, only one thing was for sure.

Blood was being suctioned down to his legs, causing him to turn pale. If Amy is still inside, who was that?

As the question was raised, another soft bang resonated through the hallway. He walked further, near the bathroom door, and saw Amy's shadow through the frosted, translucent glass door, still occupied with her business.

What shocked him more was the man standing near the recently closed door; confusion was etched in his face.

"What are you doing here?" Sheldon calmly asked, taking the remaining steps to the living room. While doing so, he secretly slipped off his ring from his finger and pocketed it without Leonard noticing anything.

After all the weeks of him and Amy being clandestine, the act of keeping a secret seemed like an effortless job now. The old Sheldon would've sweat from head to toe, his tick would trigger, he would sometimes do something outrageously weird.

But now, he knew Amy will be coming out of the bathroom any minute now, and Leonard's eyebrows would be all wonky in befuddlement. It didn't bother him, not an ounce, because he knew that whenever he and Amy were caught in a sticky situation, similar to this one, there was always a way out. Always.

Leonard replied confusedly, "Umm . . . I live here?"

_Ah, there it is, the wonky eyebrows._

"I see that, but why are you so early?" With ease, he kept his hands behind his back, as though showing his superiority towards Leonard. It's ten minutes to five, yet Leonard might have caught the 'early bird' bug

 _No one can beat me,_ he thought, smiling coyly at Leonard.

"I finished work earlier. And you know that we only go home a little later because you insist that we should always complete the eight hours at work. Besides, I needed to check on you. Penny said you weren't feeling went this morning," Leonard explained as the look on his cuckoo roommate intensified.

Before Sheldon answered, Leonard whispered, "Weird," even though Sheldon never took his eyes off of him and probably heard what he said.

"I did say that." Sheldon nodded. And in an instant, his demeanor changed. He gave Leonard a genuine smile and announced, "I'm fine now. Thanks for coming! You may exit the premises."

Sheldon went past him and opened the door for Leonard to go out. It synchronized with Amy opening up the door of the bathroom, leaving Leonard confused once more as soon as he saw her.

"Amy's here?" He turned his head to Sheldon, and then back to Amy, who was stunned seeing Leonard.

"Y-Yes. The wedding she attended finished early so she decided to check on my situation, too." Initially, Sheldon stammered his words, but he regained his control and uttered the alibi in full confidence.

"Yes, Leonard. It turns out Sheldon had slight diarrhea," Amy said and chuckled lightly. "Don't go into the bathroom!" she added while winking at Sheldon.

Sheldon had a horrified look on his face. _That seemed overboard!_ he thought, glaring at Amy as he shook his head in rebuke. He might need to formulate an even better comeback to what she just did.

Meanwhile, Sheldon let Amy's jab slip and turned his attention back to Leonard. "Anyway, as I said, thanks for coming. You can go now." He nodded at him.

Leonard scrunched his eyebrows. It seemed like he's been confused since the minute he went into the apartment. "Huh? What's up with you, Sheldon? We're having dinner here, right? Dinner's here so I gotta put it on the counter." He lifted the bags he was carrying, which both Sheldon and Amy didn't even notice, and gestured in exasperation.

"O-Oh, alright, Leonard," Sheldon admitted in defeat. "Okay, you may proceed."


	3. Your Secret's Safe With Me

"Hmm . . . Sheldon, why do you have that musky scent?" Bernadette asked all at once and sniffed the air. She's been wanting to sneak that question past everybody, and thankfully found a leeway despite the numbing chatter of the boys.

Regardless of having Amy in between her and Sheldon, she still caught a whiff of that pleasant smell from Sheldon. All eyes went onto her and to Sheldon. Everyone seemed to agree when they drew their heads closer to and was welcomed by the smell.

"You into those things now?" Howard interjected.

Raj sniffed the air, closing his eyes as he did so. "A whiff of a charismatic man . . . cedarwood," he swayed his head, starting to list the smell that came to mind, "Perhaps vetiver or . . . ambrette," he gazed at Sheldon coquettishly, "Tell me . . . is it Paco Rabbane or Yves Saint Laurent . . . hmm, could be Dior . . . ooh, ooh, probably Creed. You smell a bit like my good man Clooney."

"Gentlemen, it's just talc," Sheldon scoffed. His derisively look aimed at his friends was potent.

Like nothing happened, Sheldon returned back to himself. He shrugged after shoving a spoonful of kung pao chicken in his mouth. Despite wolfing down a whole hotdog sandwich and a strawberry milkshake almost three hours ago, he still had the appetite of a bear that was about to hibernate.

 _Yeah right, that's talc_ , everyone thought in variations. The smell seemed very unusual since, especially, they're talking about Sheldon. He doesn't really smell that way. The closest he ever smelled so differently from talc were those times his mother would visit. Even that, they wouldn't consider it to be something special.

"No, your signature talc smell is different. This smells like you've been gone somewhere," Howard added, only noticing the smell when Bernadette initiated the topic.

"Are you wearing some kind of cologne or something?" Penny prodded. "I bet it's one from Raj's collection, right?" Everyone nodded their heads, agreeing on the existence of Raj's stash, probably hidden in a refrigerated room to ensure its authenticity.

Sheldon thought for a while like he's formulating the correct response. "Ah . . . it's just aftershave," he nonchalantly replied, munching down another spoonful.

His friends all exchanged looks: raised eyebrows, puckered lips, distorted expressions. At the same time, Amy was going along with them, like she never knew anything, like this was the first time for her too; their cover will blow if she didn't. She even did a faux sniff on Sheldon's right shoulder. _He really does smell nice._ As juvenile as it sounded, her thoughts were somehow that of a lovestruck teenager.

Penny cocked her head. "Really?" she asked, trying to extract something from him. She always knew the high-pitched voice could trigger something out of Sheldon.

"I shaved my face this day, Penny, hence the aftershave. Can't I be hygienic and do my usual routine despite being struck by a displeasing illness?" Sheldon irately replied. He rolled his eyes at his friends. When he looked at Amy, she gave him a nod of agreement, almost like telling him that all they said was true.

Everyone had their own interpretation of his statement, but everyone's interpretations had the same gist: _That's right, he has diarrhea._

* * *

Dinner ended earlier than expected. No more video games for the night, as per Sheldon's request. He didn't know if the girls would be drinking at the apartment across. He's also unaware of what the guys were planning for the night. All he wanted to do was to rest on his bed while thinking about how immaculate his storytelling was.

And after all the food he's consumed, it was difficult to comprehend the things his friends were telling him.

To alleviate his sated stomach, he decided that he'll just clean up the mess. Of course, Amy helped him, especially with the trash. Everyone did their own too, collecting all their scraps on their own.

Sheldon left the group and advanced towards the sink, carrying all the glasses and the utensils he could. He started rinsing them with water, preparing them for the dishwasher. A figure swooshed from the back and now onto his side.

"Hey . . ." A high pitched voice startled him, almost dropping the glass. Bernadette beamed at him like a playful child, demanding to have her playtime. She smacked the counter in a rhythmic pattern.

"Yeah?" Sheldon's eyebrows shot up slowly. The chattering of his friends was evident in the background, and no one even noticed that he was being interrogated by Bernadette.

"I know what you did this morning," she said in a singsong, swaying her body and keeping her hands locked together. Anyone who would see Bernadette's actions would roll on the floor, laughing, but Sheldon's not just anyone. He only kept his eyes on what he's doing and not on the interruption Bernadette was trying to cause.

"Not much. Unless you consider the numerous times I went to the bathroom this morning, yes, it was a lot," he said, disregarding the implication of her statement. He even clutched his stomach, acting out the pain. Who cares what he did this morning? He knew what he did and no one, except him and Amy and maybe a few relatives, was allowed to have information about it. Not yet, everyone should wait for their turns.

Bernadette groaned and slumped her shoulders. "Ugh, really you have to describe that, don't you?" She glared at him because of the disgusting remark.

He shrugged. "You were inferring on what I did, hence, I confirmed to you my recent activities."

She nodded her head like she knew everything. "But I know that's not the truth." Bernadette waved a finger in front of him and gave him a cheeky grin.

Sheldon scrunched his nose. "Why would I be lying to you? Why would I lie to get a day off work? You, of all people, should know that I hate vacations," he explained as the water was running in the background. He gaped at Bernadette to prove that he was being serious

"Not unless you're with Amy . . ." She smirked, having none of it all.

 _Again with the singsong! What am I, a baby?!_ he thought, annoyed at how Bernadette was treating him. He never thought Howard's wife would have the nerve to be this frank. From what he knew from Penny, Bernadette was a little persuasive and sometimes impatient. He hoped she wouldn't be like that to him.

"She visited me only this morning and this afternoon," he defended, sinking down on his knees to put the tableware inside the dishwasher.

"If you had diarrhea, you would be pale and weak; now you're just pale, as per usual. You wouldn't want to eat anything that would upset your stomach, right?" She rubbed her chin. "And yet I saw you gulp a can of soda to the last drop and devour that kung pao chicken like a feral animal. Isn't the kung pao chicken a bit spicy? Soda can cause an upset stomach, right?"

"That does not imply anything," he defended before continuing, "For all you know, I'm better now and don't need to take note of what I'm eating."

"If you say so." Bernadette shrugged. Sheldon looked at her in anticipation, hoping she's done tormenting him with her words. "But, how's your day with Amy, though?"

He groaned and sighed in exhaustion. "For the last time, Amy visited in the morning and this afternoon for a grand total of three hours. That does not indicate that I spent the day with her."

"Yeah . . . Why don't you just admit that the diarrhea is just a cover-up to your wonderful day spent with Amy? How was the wedding, Romeo?" Bernadette put her chin in her fist, dreamily, as her elbow was supported by the counter.

"What wedding? There was no wedding," he denied further, not maintaining eye contact. He even recoiled from the initial shock and the mention of the wedding.

"Lie all you want but I know you," she said confidently. Bernadette let Sheldon finished what he was doing, as she eyed their friends who were individually occupied.

She didn't know if her assumptions were correct, or if she knew Sheldon on a personal level that would make her know him more—they never really had that deep conversation. But what she knew was Sheldon has been acting strange lately, especially when Amy's around. With Amy taking a leave to attend a wedding, and Sheldon making use of his sick leave despite not looking sickly at all, Bernadette knew better.

She patted Sheldon on the back. "Don't worry, Sheldon, _your secret's safe with me_. I knew you went to her aunt's wedding with her, right? You don't have to keep it hush," she said kindheartedly.

"No, I didn't," he whispered as he gritted his teeth. His jaw tightening in annoyance. _How dare she!_

Bernadette chuckled. "Yes, you did! Amy asking our opinion for a dress she would wear for a wedding, and you taking a leave to accompany her . . . it's no wonder Amy was glowing when I saw her," she teased, nudging the air in between them. "By the way, not too shabby on the fragrance, huh; I'm sure Amy loved it too! Did you meet her family? Mother? Father? Any siblings?"

Before Sheldon could answer he immediately walked past Bernadette, almost knocking her down with his physique. It was just a near miss, but dodging him almost made her trip.

With assertion, he approached the apartment door, swung it a bit harsher than usual, and ordered, "Thanks for coming! All of you may now proceed to your personal endeavors! Goodnight!"

He gritted his teeth. It was rather an incensed call, even though he said his thank you's, but he had to do it to avoid being scrutinized any further.

Sheldon was met with confused looks and a few murmurs, but once he glared at them, everyone started fixing their belongings; Raj even stumbled on the throw pillow on the floor, almost losing his balance

As everyone was busy with their things, he pulled out his phone, gave Amy a meaningful look, and shot a quick text. Amy felt the faint vibration in her pocket. " _Can you stay?"_ it read.

Her eyes shot up and were met by his glare. She thought she was in trouble when she saw how his look could burn someone alive, but thankfully, it tempered once he saw Amy's frightened face. She sat back down on her seat as she watched everyone scurry past Sheldon, all moving so rattled. It's like he was in control over them, but when Amy heard Howard whispering to Raj: " _C'mon, let's play at my place. Dr. Whackadoodle's not in the mood."_ She knew that it's not really power that was making his friends react the way they were.

More of exhaustion to arguing over a futile thing. It would just worsen things if they contradict Sheldon. It was much better to vacate the place rather than clashing with the owner.

One by one, they exited the apartment, Bernadette stopping in front of Sheldon and whispered, "So that wasn't a no . . ." She winked, goading. Sheldon wasn't given a chance to react. "Buh-bye, Sheldon!"

Sheldon sighed exhaustively as he closed the door. He gave Amy an apologetic look, before someone interrupting them again. _Can we take a break?!_ Sheldon thought as he heard the creak of the door.

"Amy?" Raj peeked his head, rallying his gaze at both of them. "Are you going?"

Amy gestured her hand. "You go ahead . . . Sheldon invited me for tea."

"Okay, bye Amy! Sheldon!" he acknowledged.

"Why? What happened?" She approached Sheldon who was preparing tea. She wasn't aware that Sheldon would buy that tea alibi. All he asked was for her to stay sans the tea; that was her idea.

"Sorry. Bernadette just got into my nerves. She started interrogating me on what I did this morning. She painfully insisted that, instead of staying at home and battling diarrhea, I was out with you," he expressed his problem.

"Where did she get that from?"

"I have no idea! Darn her bloodhound-like ability of smell," he cursed under his breath.

Sheldon leaned his body on the island as he hung his head in disappointment. He gazed at Amy, conscience-stricken and red-faced at his inability to keep a secret.

"That's fine. Her assumption was just you accompanying me to the made-up wedding of my aunt. That's even better than them knowing the real deal," she comforted, rubbing his back in consolation.

"I hope so," Sheldon sighed. He was supposed to continue with picking out the tea from his organizer when a certain glimmer caught his eye. Upon inspection, it came from Amy, specifically from her hand. "Oh no, you didn't remove the rings!?" he gasped, nearly losing his grip on their mugs.

Sheldon's eyes widen, as well as his lips. The leftover parchment of his mouth from his previous conversation with Bernadette antagonized him unexpectedly. At that point, he thought passing out was the only viable option.

"Shoot!" Amy yelled, disconcerted. She mirrored Sheldon reactions, only this time, she clutched her right hand as if there was something terrifying in it—maybe a severed digit or probably a venomous snake wrapped around her palm. She tried to gather her composure by breathing slowly and, literally, shuddering to shake off the nerves

"I-It's alright," she stammered, "I-I wore it on the right."

Amy waved her hand, brushing off the idea that the rings were perfectly visible to anyone within fifty feet. She awkwardly crossed her arms against her chest, deeming her fingers to be hidden. She just hoped she did a lot of arms crossing during dinner because the mere thought of their confidentiality slipping off was egregious.

"Have you noticed them leering on the ring?" Sheldon asked. "Please tell me they didn't" The desperation was unmistakable in his tone.

 _Oh God, they better not_ , Amy thought warily.

"No . . . No!" she profusely denied. "No one mentioned it. Not even when you went to the kitchen. They didn't tell me anything."

He sighed. "You do have the ring box, right?"

Amy nodded as she pulled out the red velvet box out of her skirt pocket. She handed it to Sheldon which he took gladly.

With authority, he instructed, "If they got suspicious, keep them inside the ring box first. I don't think wearing it on the right hand will be effective for you . . . especially with how eye-catching those rings are."

It truly was. Sheldon never took notice of it when he was young, nor when the occasions when Meemaw would babysit them, and she would wear the ring. He deemed it as something trivial that even laying an eye on it would be pointless. _Who would want to look at rings anyway?_

However, it was a surprise to know that Meemaw had been keeping it for him. Even Mary, who thought the ring would go to any of her nieces or nephews, was only told that at the very last minute.

Sheldon always expected Missy would get the ring, or perhaps George, but when Missy got married he never saw it on her finger. He assumed right at that moment that Missy was not worth the heirloom. George, with his innumerable sundry girlfriends in the past two decades, seemed like he wouldn't be marrying someone in the future.

He didn't know if he was worthy of the heirloom, but what he knew Amy deserved it more than any of the Tuckers' significant others

"This is your Meemaw's, right?" she asked, beguiled.

"Yes. It's been in the family for more than a century now," he disclosed with pride.

"Wow . . . and how come it fits me right? You said you had it altered, but how'd you know my ring size?" Amy held her hand, removing the rings and putting it back in with ease like she was testing the fit.

"Do you remember when we had to buy a gift for your kid cousin? You brought me to a jewelry shop, in hopes of buying her a bracelet, and I saw you eyeing rings specifically between sizes five and a half to eight. From there, I established my assumption that, in fact, you were looking for a ring of your own. Though, I'm clueless as to why," he pointed out.

Amy nodded, encouraging him to keep going.

He put down his hands. "I narrowed it down between six or seven, seven being my best bet. And then you held my hand when you almost slipped in the cafeteria three days before I was supposed to buy us rings. Since you used the right hand, I used that measurement regardless of our hands being naturally asymmetrical," he explained as he sat across her.

"Impressive how you could know something by just touching it. Honestly, I really don't know my ring size. Good thing, you knew mine." Amy let out a good-natured laugh.

She's not one to indulge herself in jewelry. The only ring she owned was the Harvard ring she had when she graduated. It didn't even qualify as a proper ring since it barely fits her because she got the wrong size.

"An assumption that turned out to be accurate," he said smugly.

Sheldon drew his mug to his mouth, "I have a proposition."

She gulped. "Hmm . . . go on."

"Will you stay the night?" He sought out her eyes beyond the rim of the mug. Amy almost choked on her drink but quickly recovered.

"N-Now?" she stuttered, looking around the room for confirmation. There was no one there to help her.

"Yes. In this way, you would get accustomed to being my roommate. So both of us will be prepared once we get this official," he explained his motive carefully, not coming out as aggressive that it might scare Amy off. "Is that alright?"

"Are you sure, Sheldon? Aren't we making a rash decision of cohabitating?"

"I-I'm sorry. You're right, I'm being unreasonable."

"N-No . . . no, no," Amy immediately brushed off the idea. "I-I'm fine with it, Sheldon. Your motive is fair; It's like a trial run for when I move in," she added, quick to retract her initial hesitation.

"Good . . . Thank you. I hope it wasn't arbitrary. I really thought of it when we were at Carney's."

"Y-You just caught me off guard. That's all." She chuckled nervously. "Good thing I have my emergency bag in the car," she said, slowly standing up to retrieve the bag.

Sheldon beamed at her. "Okay, you get that, and I'll prepare Leonard's room." And he was off to the hallway, prancing on his step.

* * *

Amy spending the night was both a blast and nothing short of an ordeal.

Right after he'd invited Amy for a sleepover, she went downstairs to retrieve her bag. He thought it was a ruse just to get away from him, because who wouldn't? He wouldn't argue because it felt like, in his perspective, he came down a little bit demanding of her.

Amy should have been afraid. Not because he's a violent man who preys on gullible people, gaining their trust and do unspeakable things to them. It's because he was afraid. More than words. And Amy might have sensed his fear and she would be fearful in her ways too.

Fortunately, Amy trusted him enough to give him credit. They could be both in fear but somehow facing it together. Maybe that's the reason she went back to his apartment, with her bag in tow, and beamed at him her most sincere smile.

They had a game of counterfactuals, which neither of them lost; both were just crushing each other, which eventually led to an impasse. They brainstormed ideas—from innovating nuclear reactors to just simply drawing up a system concerning the notable routes to their top ten most visited places in California. It seemed tedious but both were grinning ear to ear just from the brain stimulation and the companionship.

Not one even cared about the time. At 11 o'clock, Amy's yawn initiated a series of 'good nights' and 'rest well' that prompted them to retire for the night.

On top of the fact that Amy was next door to him, she was, surprisingly, a peaceful and placid roommate—not an ounce of noise came from her room. Sheldon noticed that she was a heavy sleeper too, just like Leonard. Based on the swift transition of her opening the bedroom door, to the light thud of her head hitting the pillow, and then a minute after that was silence, he concluded that the interval correlates that of a heavy sleeper.

The pleasant experience was balanced out by an ordeal. Nothing amiss in terms of Amy's accommodation; she was a delight. And not too troublesome, but enough to have caused havoc within the group.

You see, the neighbors were not aware of his guest. And those particular neighbors welcome themselves whenever they want. Naturally, they'd be stunned to have seen a walking Amy lurking in the break of dawn.

Sheldon and Amy both have to wake up early, the latter much earlier than Sheldon usually does. They shared a breakfast of cereal in separate bowls (they weren't loonies) while watching the first half of the Saturday morning replay of Doctor Who. Not too long after that, Amy was on her way home before the clock struck seven o'clock.

They both knew that it was just a short time, yet, it didn't seem like it. Their time together was nothing but _stimulating._

Soon afterward, his neighbors were already scurrying past the front door, prepared to attack the morning. _I_ _knew it!_ He thought, rather unsurprised. The coffee maker was turned on, the toast was being prepared by Leonard, Penny was busy with the mugs. Sheldon, who was absorbed with his program, was unaware of the bowl and mug Amy left lying on the sink before she went home.

He just said to her that she leave the plates; he'll be the one to wash them.

Penny looked twice at Sheldon, who was clearly absorbed by The Doctor, and the sink, populated by used dishes.

"Sheldon, why are there dirty dishes in here?" she asked, giving him a look of disbelief.

"I . . . uhh . . . used the wrong bowl." He cleared his throat and continued watching.

"Huh?" Penny looked at what bowl he used and the bowl in the sink. "There is, literally, no difference."

Same color, same shape, even the same capacity. It was a wonder why he'd prefer one over the other.

"There is . . . you just can't see it," he protested before reaching for his bowl. "The ceramic of this one feels much smoother than the other. Whoever made that one clearly is an incompetent potter," he blasted.

"That's unusual of you," Leonard pointed out.

"How about this spoon and this mug, buddy?" Penny added as said utensils were balanced on top of the bowl.

"I've got no time to wash the mug I used for tea last night," he revealed quite defensively.

He thought it was a reasonable explanation. With diarrhea and whatnots, even daily activities—chores and etc—were regarded as something taxing. They would definitely take it into account, especially knowing Sheldon when he's sick.

Both Leonard and Penny agreed to what he said. But still, there were some doubts as to Sheldon's statements.

Sheldon started wondering if this was anything close to—let's say—being in the closet. He never knew what that felt, nor he knew people who were in that situation (he suspected Raj and Howard were battling in it before, but it turned out they were just borderline homosexuals).

What he would give up just to be in their shoes. So he would be prepared to be in this situation with Amy. It's similar to being restricted because you don't know how people will react if they knew.

His thoughts of closets and shoes were interrupted by a loud, unsettling noise. Penny burped really hard, making him scrunched his nose in disgust and thanking whoever almighty there was that the person who he married is a civilized human being.


	4. Not So Moving

A week suddenly scurried past them and, for all they know, it was a Friday once again. And despite the seven days of constant deception and nerve-racking repudiation, no one, and really _no one_ went up to either of their faces and said, " _Hey! I think I know what both of you are up to."_

They thought that was a good sign, right? Amy was bursting with pride when they both managed to cruise along the ocean of bluffing and trickery. They steered through violent waters and managed to survive like expert buccaneers along the treacherous Caribbean.

But they had a few slip-ups during the week.

For starters, the closest call was when Bernadette confronted Sheldon that Friday dinner. The talks about guessing what fragrance Sheldon was wearing were tense. Imagine people invading your personal space just to get a good sniff off you. His made-up diarrhea almost came to life as he felt his stomach rumbling from all their assumptions; he almost soiled his pants.

Even with that near-miss, Sheldon knew that it was nothing; they'd be able to swerve past that. That no one, not even Bernadette, really took that one seriously. He even had a hunch that Bernadette blabbed about what she had gleaned from him. But there was no confrontation with anyone, so Sheldon deduced that it was just a trivial thing for them. A hackneyed story about Sheldon, really.

Although everything went smoothly the night Amy slept in Leonard's room, Sheldon still had his reservations about what Penny and Leonard know. Specifically what they _saw_. With all those pieces of evidence, lying around the house, waiting to be spotted by a detective at heart, that would eventually lead to his demise, they seemed nonchalant about it.

But still, no one accosted and coaxed him into spilling the beans. They couldn't juice the information from him. No one was powerful enough to smooth-talk their way through the mystery. They were just cowards, it seemed.

_Darn, I'm getting good at this!_

On the other hand, Amy's rings dilemma was finally solved—well, sort of. Fortunately, when Amy showed up for work that Monday and went on to join the guys for lunch, Sheldon noticed a very scrupulous side to Amy. He'd never seen this side of her before but was grateful that it only manifested recently.

His solution to their predicament was to wear his ring on the right hand, which he, in turn, suggested for Amy to follow. Mind you, it was rather clever, he thought. He was expecting that Amy will carry through their plan, but his hypothesis was amiss. _More than wrong._ She didn't wear it on any finger, neither hand.

 _Well, that's money and sentiment down the drain,_ he thought begrudgingly, misconstruing the lack of any rings from her finger. It felt like someone stabbed him in the chest. And then the ring was at the very end of the dagger, lodging it inside of him once that dagger was pulled out.

 _I wore the ring! Why isn't she wearing them?!_ He was fuming rather silently.

He even had this swift idea that Amy was wearing it in her foot, but that was just entirely a stupid idea. _Just stupid._ He didn't know what came over him; believing that a grown, genius woman would wear it on her toes.

As he was sulking over that rather petty basis, he witnessed an astonishing sterling silver necklace around Amy's neck. It gleamed ever so slightly when Amy turned her head to talk to Raj. The pendant, or rather _pendants,_ was hidden beneath her blouse, keeping it out of sight to anyone.

When Amy noticed that Sheldon, somewhat, figured out what was happening, she gave him a meaningful look, fiddled with the chain, and Sheldon already pieced the proof altogether.

After their lunch, Sheldon accompanied her to her lab, hoping to get an explanation. As they were walking she pulled out the necklace from underneath her blouse, revealing what he expected right when he saw that flickering chain, and told him, "Neat, huh?"

It turned out, she did that once with her tight-fitting Harvard ring but since lost it when she started moving from place to place for her fellowships and lectures.

He just smiled and stood in awe as Amy explained how she came up with that idea. It seemed like she was more intelligent than he was. How did he come up with those vacuous assumptions about Amy was still a mystery for him.

When Tuesday rounded, Amy wasn't able to join them for lunch but was keen enough to join them for dinner. Again, she wore that necklace on their dinner and kept the rings hidden underneath.

However, Amy not showing up for lunch was a relief for Sheldon. Not because he despised her company, but because if she was there, their secret might be revealed to the public prematurely.

The guys were hawk-eyed when they saw him wearing a ring. There were some silent nudges and a few whispers between Howard and Leonard because Raj—the one who pointed out the ring—was on the other side, sitting with Sheldon.

Raj cleared his throat and gaped at Sheldon's right hand. "Ahem . . . Sheldon, I didn't know that you wear rings," he implied, giving Howard and Leonard a covert thumbs up.

The whole table turned their heads onto him as if they weren't aware of it in the first place. Curiosity was imprinted on his friends' faces.

With his assertiveness, Sheldon just stared at him and shrugged, proceeding with his lunch. _It's a wonder that they're only noticing it now even though I wore it yesterday and the day before that. Was it because of Amy? Was she an excellent diversion?_

"Where'd you get that buddy?" Leonard managed through a spoonful. Raj and Howard seemed to agree, nodding their heads.

"Why do you care so much?" Sheldon responded, not at all concerned about their question.

"Well, it seems out of the ordinary for you to wear that kind of accessory." Now it was Howard's turn to pry on his situation.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, I've worn the Green Lantern ring before," Sheldon explained

"Are you married?" Raj asked rather audaciously.

Sheldon gasped and scandalized look on his face. "Married?! What am I a hippie? And who am I married to, anyway?" He scoffed.

Howard snickered. "Well, I noticed that Amy's been with us more often . . . maybe this has something to do with her," he insinuated, leaning in for effect. "Is she your wifey now?" he teased, earning a giggle from the boys.

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Marriage signifies the wearing of the ring on the LEFT hand, and I'm wearing this on my right." He dropped his fork and raised his right hand for proof, not that anyone didn't notice right from the beginning.

"It's not always the case. There are religions that require followers to wear it on the right ring finger," Leonard specified.

"Some European countries prefer the right," Howard added, making Leonard nod his head in agreement.

"Ooh, ooh, other gay people wear their wedding rings on the right. M-Maybe you finally found your calling." Now it was Raj's turn to say something dense.

Sheldon groaned in exhaustion. "I'm not a follower of any religion, Leonard. Howard, I certainly have descendants from Europe who were brave enough to cross the Great Atlantic. And Raj, do you think that identifying me as gay would conceal the fact that you, yourself, are rather flamboyant than I am?"

Sheldon glared at his friends for giving him the third degree. He didn't deserve that; his friends are just being a pain in the ass for making his life miserable.

Raj flailed his arms in shock at what came from Sheldon's mouth. His jaw dropped in shock. "Dude, there are flamboyant straight guys, for all you know. And besides, there are gay people who are manlier than you are," he defended, crossing his arms across his chest and gesturing his head like some teenage girl who was deprived of her phone.

"Well, who's manly now?" Sheldon thought when he saw Raj doing that head thing.

"Let me see that." Howard rose halfway up and reached for Sheldon's hand. Sheldon didn't wrestle with Howard. He even removed the ring on his own and deliberately put it in Howard's waiting hand.

Howard gave it a good look, only stopping when his eyes caught an engraving on the inside.

"What does it say?" Raj prodded, rising from his seat to join the ruckus.

"Why do you have the 'One Ring' inscription?" Leonard stared at it, baffled.

Sheldon just sat there, with his back against the chair and arms crossed. It was like watching the spectacle of monkeys in action—some trivial shallow actions.

"Is this the ring we found on that yard sale?" Howard drew closer, giving it a better look. If it was really that ring, he would get it away from Sheldon and keep it forever. No more fighting; he should be the sole owner. Gone were the days where Sheldon and Leonard dominated the ownership of the ring.

"Really, dude, the one we found was gold. That is clearly platinum. And Sheldon wouldn't be able to get his hands on that prop; Leonard made sure that he mailed it back to Peter Jackson," Raj contested. He knew his way around rings; he had a fair share of jewelry, ranging from his childhood to his migration to the US.

"I did," Leonard confirmed. Still, the probability of Sheldon acquiring the prop ring was slim to none. He made sure Peter Jackson received it. For that heroic act, he got to talk to Peter Jackson's assistant and got a card with Peter Jackson's signature in it.

"Give me that." Sheldon snatched the ring from his friends. "Why do you always insist on meddling with my life?" He inspected it, assuring that there were no scratches or marks from his friends' repellant hands. Still not convinced, he grabbed a napkin and carefully wiped it and slipped it back where it belonged.

"No need to be rude. We're just curious, you know," Howard retorted.

"While I appreciate the curiosity, I, for one, do not condone it." Sheldon thoughtfully slipped on the ring and hid his right hand underneath his left hand.

"Seriously Sheldon, why the ring? I know you for well over ten years now, not one of them was a year of rings for Sheldon Cooper." With a curious insight, Leonard recalled.

They were answered with silence.

"Sheldon?" Leonard called.

"If you must know, I bought this," answered Sheldon.

"But why?" Howard asked

"Yeah, why?" So did Raj.

"Why do I always have to explain myself? It's already an established fact that the ring is clearly an homage to our beloved Lord of the Rings."

"You can at least be consistent with the literature, right? Why not gold?" Leonard suggested.

"I had money to spend; I bought a more durable metal. And gold seemed overrated, why would I want that?" he huffed, looking at Howard's wedding ring—which was gold, by the way.

"So does platinum _. . ._ ahem." With condescension, Howard replied and faked a cough. He saw that scrutiny from him.

"In any case, this matter is closed. For any further inquiries, send me a detailed request, and I'll get back to you. You know my email address."

"Did you notice that his condescension is getting mellow overtime? In the past, he would really fight for this. But now, it didn't even take us an hour to argue with him," whispered Howard to Leonard. Sheldon didn't seem to notice it.

"Hmm _. . ._ I don't know with you, but he lectured me about the dangers of any mosquito-borne illness when I was just asking him to look at an insect bite I had on my arm. I'm certain that it was just maybe an ant bite, but he wouldn't let it go," Leonard revealed wearily.

* * *

Wednesday and Thursday were allocated for Leonard to finally pack his things. It'll be done after work. It wasn't a hard task, to begin with, considering that Leonard's just moving next door. Even Raj and Howard weren't necessarily needed for the move, but they helped Leonard anyway.

Sheldon was hands-on with the move too, supervising all the things Leonard was moving, keeping an inventory even though he wasn't asked. Leonard started with his clothes on Sunday. Since some of them we're already at Penny's apartment, he did not have much clothes to move. Sheldon helped him carry containers, not even breaking a sweat when he carried a total of two boxes.

On Wednesday, since it was comic book night, Leonard's comic books were next, but most of them were still left behind. With the strength of the four guys and Penny, they moved almost four hundred of Leonard's collection, accounting for only sixty-five percent of the total. Penny worried about the number of picture books and the lack of space. However, Sheldon suggested that they just return back the comic books that wouldn't fit on Penny's shelf.

Sounds like a good idea, she thought.

Thursday came and there were only a few things left to pack: a few of Leonard's book (this time the real books and not his picture books) and his desk which, surprisingly managed to fit itself in the space between Penny's television set and kitchen island. Everyone but Amy was there to help, and they devoured their hard-earned dinner.

The night of Thursday, Sheldon had a profound feeling he had never felt before. It was similar to when he moved to California, with no one but himself.

Leonard left him. No, not for good… but he still left. Even though Leonard had not been sleeping in their apartment for the past month, only doing maybe once or twice a week, Sheldon had a weird feeling when it finally was official.

It was like the realization of Leonard's move stung him deeply. It was nice when Leonard said to him that he was still a resident despite him spending most nights at Penny's. He appreciated that; it's like Leonard still cared about him.

But now they've already labeled it: Leonard's not a 4A resident anymore. His name was scrapped out of the lease. And despite Leonard's name not really on the cable and utility bills, he always saw his name there whenever he pays.

However, Sheldon expected that that's what Leonard wanted for a very long time. A long time that he couldn't wait anymore.

His thinking cap got too overwhelming; he couldn't find sleep anymore in spite of his best to drive away his relentless thoughts.

He turned to the other side of the bed, reaching for his phone. The light from the device illuminated his face, but he was unmoved. Sighing, he tapped on the name of the person he needed to call.

Good Lord, where did I get this? he thought, within the ringing of the phone. He was pertaining to his confidence in calling. He admitted that was very unusual for him, but it didn't matter anymore.

"Hello _. . ._ " The raspy voice from the other line resonated through his phone. Clearly, the person was awoken abruptly by his call.

Sheldon didn't respond immediately; he just let the other person talk. When no one talked for a few seconds, he knew that the person was looking at the phone to look at the jerk who called.

"What the hell, Sheldon?!" A screech came from Leonard. Sheldon was sure his scream would've startled Penny.

He heard a light thud from the other line, probably Leonard slamming his head deep into his pillow.

"Hi, Leonard _. . ._ " Sheldon greeted calm, despite Leonard being hysterical on the other line.

"Why are you calling at this hour?!" Desperation can be heard in his voice. If Sheldon didn't know him personally, he wouldn't be able to expect that whine coming from Leonard.

"I have something to tell you," he said as he pushed himself in a seating position. He clutched the end of his pillow.

A groan was heard on the other line "Ugh, can this wait tomorrow? I'm sleeping, you know."

"I know, but I really have to tell something _. . ._ " He was vacillating on whether he should tell it to Leonard or if he should just keep it a secret.

Should I, should I not? Should I, should I not? Should I, should I not? There was no better way but acting based on his intuition.

"Oh God, please, please, please tell me that you're moving away for good!" Leonard whimpered.

He couldn't see Leonard but he knew his eyes were tightly closed and his fist was in a ball from the irritation. Maybe his fingers might be crossed, hoping that that was Sheldon's news.

"N-No, i-t's not that _. . ._ I-I _. . ._ I have this _. . ._ " he stammered with his words, clearly unusual of him.

"I WANNA KILL MYSELF! It's 1 a.m., Sheldon!" Leonard howled again. This time another irritated murmur came was heard from the background; it was Penny. She must have stirred from her sleep too, considering how loud and inconsiderate Leonard was being.

Sheldon sighed and made up his mind. He announced with resolute. "I-I am going to miss you, Leonard."

Silence prevailed on the other line. Sheldon waited with bated breath for Leonard's response, his fingers were running circles on his blanket. When he couldn't take the silence anymore, he asked, "Leonard, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, well, okay. Bye," Leonard replied swiftly. And then the call was dropped all of a sudden.

He didn't know if something's wrong with Leonard, or perhaps with Penny, but he was certain he heard a soft sniffle before Leonard ended the call. Sheldon shrugged and laid his phone softly on the nightstand. When he tried to close his eyes and sleep, he wasn't disappointed by his mind. It's like a heavy object keeping him down suddenly lifted off his chest.

When Friday morning came, not a word was said. But Sheldon noticed that Penny was looking at him and Leonard in a funny way when they were having their breakfast. He oblivious as to why; he didn't dare ask.

Even the drive to and fro Caltech was rather tame. Sheldon had this anticipating expression on his face when he and Leonard were together that day, but it seemed invisible to Leonard.

It was Leonard's final day of moving. Only three boxes of random collectibles were left, but he waited for the last minute to move his things just to annoy Sheldon. He wanted to move out on the deadline despite having the ability to finish a day before. But, little did Leonard know, Sheldon was saying weirdly affectionate things to him that he didn't know if he was hallucinating the night before or if it was real.

For Sheldon, just imagining Leonard leave the apartment with those three boxes made him a bit nauseous. Same goes for what he was planning to do that night.

"Amy, I'm telling them tonight. Can you go over by the apartment? You can bring some of your things too." He texted her right before they go home from work.

"Sure, Sheldon. Is there any way that you'd like me to help?" replied Amy. Judging from her response, she seemed pretty cool and collected about what he's planning to do.

"No. I can handle it by myself, however, you can give any details you'd like to add when I'm narrating," he replied.

About twenty minutes after he and Leonard arrived home with their dinner, guests started arriving for their get together. Sheldon waited at the parking lot as Penny went home first from her office, dragging along her briefcase and giving him a friendly smile.

He returned the smile timidly and let Penny pass the glass door. She seemed not too keen to ask why he was suspiciously standing by the doorway.

After a few minutes of Penny's arrival, it was Amy's turn to park her vehicle. He didn't tell her anything, not even about the detailed rundown of his plan. Not even what he said to Leonard the night before. Amy knew what he would do but she doesn't want to intervene on his plans.

When Amy arrived, she saw Sheldon standing at their entrance. He seemed occupied in his thoughts, gazing far away. When he saw her, he was startled at first but calmed himself and started walking with her into the building.

Amy knew he thought this through, but she also knew Sheldon quite well. Sometimes, there was this voice in his head that pumped him doubts and worries that would order him to botch his own plans.

With sympathy, as they were walking side by side, Amy rubbed his shoulder and gave his arm a light squeeze. She gave him an encouraging smile as if saying: " _You're gonna do good, Sheldon."_ That made Sheldon grin at her and sigh in relief that, at least, someone understands him. No further words were needed.

The rest of the group arrived just minutes after he and Amy entered his apartment. Everyone thought that night would be a send-off party for Leonard. They didn't know Sheldon had something planned for the night that all attention dedicated to Leonard's move will be onto him with just a few words.

"Excuse me, guys," Sheldon announced as he scurried past the white couch, where Leonard sat, and the coffee table, where all of their leftovers were situated.

He rounded to the center and rubbed his hands together. "I _. . ._ umm _. . ._ uhh _. . ._ I-I've got something to say." He closed his eyes for a second, breathed deeply, and roamed his eyes across the room. Amy was nowhere to be found; he intended for it that way so that the attention would be at him first.

Everyone waited for him to talk. It seemed like he was going to say a speech about Leonard and how he came into his life; how Leonard was more than just a friend, he was a brother. It was cliche but their faces were pleased with the thought like they were touched by the simple gesture of Sheldon.

But instead, Sheldon went on a different track. "Do you remember when I had that train trip that lasted for almost two months?" he started, looking at them one by one.

Their expressions shifted from pleased and touched to something out of a classroom of first-graders: confusion.

"Uh-huh—"

"Yeah—"

The group replied altogether; they listened to him with intent. Maybe this was just an introduction to his speech about Leonard. Maybe he would make a metaphor about how his train trip is like his friendship with Leonard; they didn't have a clue how the two correlate to each other, but Sheldon's a genius, he can figure it out.

After a pause, he continued, "As I was hopping from train to train, I have my iPad with me. It contained all the important PDFs of finished and unfinished—but mostly—unfinished contracts I devised throughout the years. I came across this agreement I had with my Mom and decided to, finally, act in accordance with the said agreement. So I stayed in Texas, let my mother know about this contract, and that I'll be able to obey our covenant."

"So what's it all about?"

Too overwhelmed with words, he has no clue as to who asked the question

"In there, My mother and I had some talking, t-to clarify things _. . ._ At first, she was hesitant to agree, but she eventually let me do it. I don't know if you were aware of this but I made an agreement with my mother, when I was young, that I would marry someone before the age of thirty."


	5. Phantasmagoria and a Heap of Questions

_"Sheldon . . ."_ a soft whisper quaked his restful body, the warm breath strangely carried a sense of comfort only a few could dole out.

 _"Sheldon . . ."_ then another one. _Oh, how melodious that voice is!_ It truly was divine, so loving and homey.

_"Sheldon . . ."_

At last, he opened his eyes. It took a while for them to refocus on the person in front of him but it was stunning to see the person behind the voice.

"Amy . . ." he groaned. Sheldon pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes carefully. "What are you doing here?"

"Dinner's ready; everybody's waiting for you," she heedfully said.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Dinner? What time is it?" In a daze, he looked for his watch but was defeated when there was nothing on his wrist.

She rescued, looked at her watch, and answered, "6:30."

"And what day is it?" Still, his thinking was foggy from the recent sleep.

"It's Friday. Why? What happened?" Amy sat near his foot, giving his pant-covered shin a light pat.

"Nothing. I just had this weird dream." He shrugged off the topic of his lucid dream. "Did I text you something when you're about to go here?"

"Yeah. About that plan?" Amy was quick to respond, oblivious about the cause of Sheldon's odd behavior.

"Yes, you're right. Was I waiting outside when you arrived?" He perked his head to the side, eyes still a tinge of red and a little unevenly shaped from his slumber.

"No, you weren't there. I went here alone." It was Amy's turn to be confused. There was no one waiting for her when she arrived, nor Sheldon waiting at his doorstep. It was Leonard who greeted her as soon as she stepped inside his apartment.

"Okay," restless, he answered in a gruff voice.

He tried to piece together what was happening, or rather, what didn't happen. He grabbed his phone and, sure enough, his message to Amy was there, sent two hours ago, accurate as to what he remembered. He also checked the date: it was Leonard's supposed moving day.

 _Leonard . . . Was that real_?

He was referring to the surreal call he did last night. It was pitch dark outside, his room was also. And there was light, probably from his phone, that glowed amidst the dusk.

_Phone . . ._

Still sitting on his bed, Sheldon swiftly swiped through his phone—dodging every useless application—and found his call log. Leonard's name was at the top of the list. The time indicated beside his name was fifteen minutes past one a.m.

 _So, it must be real_ , he deduced, still disoriented. Based on the duration of the call—six minutes and eleven seconds—it seemed true to life.

In silence, he stood up, slipped on his bedroom slippers on his sock-capped feet, and exited the room as Amy followed suit.

What welcomed him was a chorus of effortless greetings from his friends, who started dinner without them, he plopped down on his spot and began with his dinner, disregarding the chatters of the group.

 _Did I tell them already?_ he thought to himself, still puzzled about that painfully real yet suspiciously disputable dream.

He roamed his eyes, assessing the expressions and the tone of each and every one. They were rather calm and collected, no hidden intentions, he surmised.

 _Was the announcement real?_ _They would definitely be all rattled and hyped up assuming that I already tell them; they are no way near that excited._

Now, he couldn't tell where the dream started and where it ended. How he should go on with little to no certainty. And if it was worth it to say, anyway.

As though something forceful hit his body, he started feeling a sense of familiarity. Just as Amy stood from her seat and stepped her way into the bathroom, a certain tingling zapped his extremities. It seemed like Amy's standing up was a cue to something about to happen. Right then and there everything moved in a surreal yet precise rhythm.

Penny and Howard started giggling in the exact pitch and three seconds after that, Raj joined in, just like what happened in his dream.

The details were painfully on a par: Leonard had a forkful of noodles, exactly fourteen strips pleated on top of each other; Bernadette dipped her egg roll into her sauce and then a blaring crunch resonated through the room.

And then, bizarrely, the crunch was a signal for him to do something, Sheldon stood up to his feet, not having full control of himself. _Another cue!_ Everything displaying itself as something that has happened before. Every movement he made or his friends made were accompanied by some weird sensation of the past. That he was reliving something he might or might not have experienced before.

Everyone was looking at him, exact expressions on their faces, as he took the area in front of the TV.

On autopilot mode, he said plainly, "I've got something to say."

_The memory was vivid. It's like a déjà vu, I lived through this situation before._

He didn't wait for the response; he simply continued, "My mother and I have an agreement."

As though it was a hint for him to recover his consciousness, Sheldon was wide-eyed when the sensation lifted. He looked around for a second, attempting to accustom himself to the reality of his situation.

 _That is not what I'm supposed to say,_ his subconscious whispered almost to a berating degree.

But that didn't deter him from doing what he was supposed to do. What that dream ordered him to do. He cleared his throat to continue his tale, the group never broke their interest.

"I'm going to marry someone before the age of thirty," Sheldon revealed. Now, he almost got his bearings and can function properly any minute.

Bernadette and Raj gasped in unison. Leonard nodded just because he already knew about this—Sheldon made him promise a few car rides ago. And Howard and Penny (although she knew about the dates, she was unaware of the marriage thing), clearly were stunned about that.

The noises from his friends were the catalyst to rise against his otherworldly experience. The feelings were finally lost and now he can process thoughts the same way he does in his usual.

"Excuse me?!" Raj interjected, supplemented by mumbling from everyone who seemed shocked.

"Woah!" came from Bernadette.

Sheldon cleared his throat. "Clearly, that wasn't attained. I'm four years overdue. In a state of frustration and constant pestering from my 'agreement-loving' side, I eventually gave in to the agreement. It was too strong to fight."

"I-I agreed to marry someone _. . ._ " he revealed. Again with the gasps. "And when I say agreed, I meant it," he said with conviction. Now, he's back to his usual self, unequivocal and sagacious.

Just as a barrage of unadulterated questions was supposed to hit him, the woman responsible for his decision emerged from the bathroom.

Amy has never been in any situation that put her in intense scrutiny—her dissertation defense was close, but even that, she came prepared for the worst.

"Oh my God, Amy! You're marrying Sheldon?!" Penny squealed, she ran to Amy and held her by her arms, keeping her hostage.

"Actually, Amy and I are already married," Sheldon revealed with nonchalance. He pulled out his right hand from his pocket and exhibited his ring—the very same ring Leonard, Howard, and Raj saw that week—in no time before putting it back into his pocket, not giving a chance for Penny to see it.

"What the hell, you didn't tell us!" Bernadette grumbled, flailing her arms up in protest.

"Hmm _. . ._ that's why you were acting weird when we saw you wearing the ring." Howard deduced.

Penny swiftly turned back her attention to Howard. Wide-eyed, she interrogated, "There is a ring and you saw it?!"

"Saw, touched, licked, smelled _. . ._ you name it!" Raj confirmed, nodding his head eagerly. That motivated a wheezing noise from anyone who didn't know—mainly Penny and Bernadette.

"FYI, they saw it first, and then I granted them the opportunity to touch it, which they unabashedly did. If they ever licked this, I will definitely discard of this ring," Sheldon replied sternly.

"That's what I smelled last week! A whole lot of diarrhea crap and that fishy stare off from the both of you!" Bernadette detailed, pertaining to the reason behind the odd behavior of the two a week ago.

With uncertainty, Sheldon asked, "What?"

"You thought I didn't notice it, but you were basically having sex with Amy the way to stare at her!" Bernadette replied salaciously.

"How dare you!" Sheldon almost jumped on her, with no intention of really doing it. He didn't mean it to be aggressive, to the point of violence, but he was just affronted by her statement. Amy immediately held his arm that kept him from where they both were standing.

"I'm sure it's not like that, Bernie _. . ._ " Amy responded, smiling at her apologetically

"Please, I'm trying to tell you something important to both of us. Can you please layoff the mockery and show some respect. And if I don't get irritated again, maybe I'll tell you what happened." He sighed heavily.

It wasn't intentional, but, as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he felt a surge of emotions flooding him from the inside and trying its way out of his system. He ducked his head a little, cleared his throat gruffly, and tried to suppress any manifestations of his feelings. Thankfully, Amy never lost contact, prompting him not to cry.

"Sorry," said Raj.

"We apologize." Followed by Bernadette, and so did the others.

Gazing at Amy for affirmation, Sheldon explained. "You can ask us questions, but we have the right to refuse all the crude ones."

"Alright, Sheldon you have a deal."

Still, he was apprehensive about everything. Even though he had his meltdown then and there, in front of his friends, he still had no confidence that they'll be able to keep their promises.

"You want to tell them, or should I do it?" He looked at Amy, asking for her permission.

"Tell the first half of the story, and I can come in on the engagement part," she replied, patting him on the back.

Sheldon went into detail about his life choices. What made him decide that Amy was the most suitable woman to be with and the obstacles he overcame to be with Amy.

He told them what went on with his dates. How underqualified his initial dates were: from an engineer, which prompted a glare from Howard, to geologist; from Baptist to rainbow bagels. How, when he met Amy again years after, he knew that she was overqualified for him. It forced to him initially make a decision that Amy wouldn't be his wife.

He told them that he doesn't want to lose the friendship they had established within the four-year timeframe. And even though they were physically away from each other for two years of that, their communication was stable, and he couldn't endanger that relationship for the sake of his contract.

Once Sheldon was finished talking about the incidents surrounding his sixth date with a woman named Freya, Amy took care of the story. She told them how Sheldon walked and managed to find her apartment despite the forthcoming darkness of Glendale. She told them about how he offered her marriage like it's some kind of a material thing. How her first encounter with Sheldon's friends was actually the day after he proposed and she declined—that prompted a series of gasps. How she accepted the offer just two days after the proposal—another chorus of gasps and, oddly, some cheers.

It seemed like Sheldon wasn't shown in a good light, but that was exactly how it happened. He sounded like a jerk for doing all those things but his intentions were nothing but righteous.

Their story was finished rather promptly. Amy didn't go into painstaking detail; she thought that the privacy both Sheldon and she needed was met by just telling vague but important features.

Like the personal talk they had when she entrusted Sheldon of herself when she accepted his proposition, she didn't tell them that. Like the clandestine meetings they had for two weeks, talking about their plan of action, she didn't tell that. Similar to the doubts and worries that stirred as the days went by, she didn't tell that.

As for Sheldon, his story was pretty generalized, as well. Like picking out the ideal rings, he didn't tell that. When Amy passed out from lack of sleep the morning of their ceremony and from the anxiety of seeing Penny on that morning, he didn't tell that. When she kissed him in the car, he didn't tell that. When Amy kissed him again in the car, he didn't tell that. And most especially, when he swooped in for a third kiss, fulfilling his penchant for the number three, he didn't tell that. Also, he didn't tell anyone nor Amy how much he found those kisses to be acceptable and desirable.

There were a lot of particulars that weren't brought to light. And it brought relief that they didn't reveal more than what they should've because of the potency and the vulgarity of what was said next.

"So, is it safe to say that you are in love with each other?" sought Raj dreamily. He had his chin on top of his balled fist, gazing at Sheldon and Amy in hope.

"Amy!" Sheldon called out to his side, protesting about what his friend just said.

"Guys, no, it's not like that," Amy replied patiently. She neared Sheldon and gave his arm a soft pat.

"Then why get married, in the first place? You know Sheldon, Mary was more than willing to forego the contract, but it seemed like you want a complicated life with what you just did," said Leonard.

Sheldon was about to say something snarky but realized that it will do no good. He retreated otherwise. "I believe that my mother deserves to see her son be with someone other than herself," he answered sedately.

"But you have us." Howard, who was relatively quiet when he announced his news, had finally had something meaningful to say.

It's no doubt that he had his friends; it just seemed unusual being with his friends rather than being with Amy.

"Don't you like Amy?" His tone softened. If they didn't like Amy, then what's the point of maintaining his social circle intact? He'd rather be with a sensible, insightful, and empathic human being rather than be with five people who'd rather live with their own lives than share his own.

"No, no, no. Amy, you are wonderful. You balance out our group you know?" Penny assured her. All the people sitting in front of the two went nodding their heads, _Yes, Amy! You are a godsend!_ they all thought in relief.

"It's a shame why Sheldon didn't introduce you to us at the very beginning," said Raj, supplementing on what Penny said.

"Because if I introduced Amy a while back, I would probably be the laughingstock of the group. If you thought that I'm ignorant about all the ridicule, well, I'm not," Sheldon fumed, crossing his arms on his chest. He felt Amy's touch on his back but it didn't assuage his outburst. "And I did not tell ALL of you because I don't want you giving me a hard time. I don't want to drag Amy in this madness," he finished, exhaling harshly through his mouth.

As if Amy's caresses were working, his voice hushed down. "It's difficult for me, especially when you start with the jabs."

"Sheldon, you know that they're just joking around," Bernadette assured.

"It's just to lighten the mood, you know. We don't want to be you be tense all the time," Howard even added.

Sheldon sighed. He rounded the table and sat in his spot. "It's not always the case for me."

"We understand that, Sheldon. But you also need to understand that it's not just us who are obligated to make room for you; you need to meet us in the middle," Leonard explained softly as not to agitate Sheldon.

"I'm trying my best!" he defended with a raised albeit weak voice.

Penny, trying to take everyone off the edge, steered her attention to Amy and asked, "Is it seriously real? The wedding thing? Or you're not yet married but about to be?"

"I can attest to that." Amy sat beside Sheldon and extracted her necklace from her collar. She displayed it to everyone who was in awe. The rings shimmered as she fiddled it in front of their friends. Almost all of them had an urge to dash to Amy to probe on her rings but decided not to; Sheldon might burst again if they maul his girlfriend.

"You wore it as a necklace so we wouldn't be suspicious!" Raj interjected, clapping his hands at the shrewd scheme.

Taking pride in his and Amy's achievement, Sheldon tapped his nose in jest. He appeared composed after that embarrassing meltdown.

Leonard, who seemed to enjoy Sheldon's high spirits, asked, "You've kept this a long time, haven't you?"

"Yes, maybe two, three weeks already," Amy answered in his stead.

"Woah, Amy! I didn't know you have such power over Sheldon. He usually couldn't keep a secret even if his life depended on it," Penny revealed, which made Sheldon glared at her.

"I told him that if he didn't keep it down, I would refuse his proposal." Amy just threw Sheldon right under the bus.

 _AMY!_ was what his face would have said if it ever talked. He clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Damn right, you would!" Bernadette insinuated, punching the air with her fist as if taking down a wall of some sort.

"Oooh, Sheldon, not a month of marriage you're already under your wife," Leonard roasted

"I know who's gonna be under who later tonight." Howard couldn't keep his filthy mouth shut. He raised his eyebrows suggestively, earning a few chuckles from the group, even from Amy.

"Okay! A crude statement! You've run out of time! No more questions! I'm asking all of you to leave the room! No more video games for the night!"

The laughing died down and Penny said, "Relax, Sheldon. We're stopping with the questions. Let's just stay here for a while."

Sulking, Sheldon agreed and let his friends stay for the rest of the evening. The conversations were quite mellow; not one was talked about Sheldon and Amy's marriage. However, there were subliminal messages hidden across the conversations, especially from the boys, which suggested that Sheldon was about to turn into a real boy.

By 9 p.m., everyone said their respective goodbye. Penny and Bernadette even devised a devious plan to have a girls' night but Sheldon refused on the grounds of the involvement of alcohol; he doesn't want Amy driving under the influence. He'd rather agree with her attending the girls' gathering and then staying at his apartment to avoid accidents, but she still needed to be at her apartment for the last time that night.

They waited until everyone went away so he could accompany Amy to her car.

"Are you all set for the move?" Sheldon asked as they were walking down the stairs

"Yes, I packed all of it throughout the week. I've brought a suitcase filled with clothes; I can give it to you and you can bring it upstairs. One less baggage to worry about." Amy smiled.

"Okay." Sheldon agreed, opening the door for both of them. "Oh, and by the way, you won't be needing your mattress; I already had Leonard's deep cleaned yesterday."

"Thank you, Sheldon. I'm planning to donate my waterbed, so that's a relief to think about," she replied with gratitude.

"And you can bring all your books with you; half of my bookshelves are unoccupied. It's like some nerd ransacked my apartment."

The breeze was enough to penetrate their individual clothing. Sheldon didn't bother to bring his windbreaker because he was just accompanying Amy but regretted when the wind sent chills all over his body.

"Already packed those," she responded quickly.

"Alright. Are we gonna move your desk? Any furniture that needed transporting?" he asked with concern as they stopped in front of Amy's car.

"I took the liberty to rent U-Haul, just need someone to drive it, though," she hinted, waiting for any response.

Sheldon scoffed. "If you're asking me, you've picked the wrong man," he answered as he put his hands inside his pockets.

Amy chuckled at his retort. "You're still afraid of driving?" she said in disbelief

"Yes and no. I'm afraid of driving that truck. However, I can drive your car, and you can drive the truck," he suggested, which amazed Amy further.

"Hmm, that sounds acceptable," she replied nonchalantly, despite being blown away by his offer. "You know I've tried to drive a forklift in the past," she said, trying to break the ice.

Despite the lack of lamp posts in their very position, she saw Sheldon's face lit up in excitement "Oooh, I always find those vehicles adorable; it's like a toy car!"

"It sure is! It's even not that difficult to drive," she bragged in good nature.

Sheldon just smiled in awe. It seemed like Amy's breaking any kind of barriers, and he was all up for it. He knew this wasn't a bad idea at all.

"Anyway, thanks for the dinner. And we don't have to keep secrets anymore, Sheldon," Amy said in acknowledgment. The very thought of not keeping secrets brought a smile on their faces.

"I know," Sheldon said dreamily.

The noise from the car emanated across the lot when Amy unlocked her doors. She looked back at him and said, "Goodnight."

Sheldon replied back, "Bye. Goodnight. Drive safe," before Amy put a hand on his shoulders and dropped a chaste kiss on his cheek. Sheldon felt how soft, almost featherlike, that kiss and, yet, it brought such strong emotions.

She separated her lips from his cheek and went inside her car, leaving Sheldon's mind scrambling. Amy grabbed her suitcase from the back seat, gently handed it to Sheldon, and stepped inside of her car.

The only thing he was able to do was to accept the bag, neglecting its bone-breaking weight, and stepped aside to give way. He managed to wave a hand, the idea of a heavy bag dissipated, only to be overpowered by the sensation on his cheek and the flash of the taillights.


	6. Schmrivacy is Dead

"Are you all set, Amy?" Sheldon asked, his right feet on its way out while his left remained inside. He had a suitcase in one hand and an enormous canvas bag draped over his shoulder. Not that the bag he carted up the stairs last night was heavy, he decided to offer a hand on carrying another one. Why not, right?

Amy looked at him apprehensively. He thought she must've changed her mind and wanted to stay. Frankly, all their efforts might've been a waste of time and energy, and he felt dejected.

"Wait a second . . ." she asked, begged. Sheldon knew what that meant. Leonard expressed himself in the same manner last night when everyone left, and the way Amy and Leonard sounded, it ruptured him into pieces. He nodded his head in sympathy and waited for her outside.

Amy took in the room. It barely got anything left in it. Walls were stripped down of decors. Her prized possessions all meticulously packed and sealed in a box with a conspicuous " _AMY"_ writing on its surface. The only furniture and appliances left were an old couch, a diminutive coffee table, a medium-sized refrigerator, a microwave oven, a stovetop-oven combo, and a two-seater dining set.

It was not much, but it sure meant a lot.

Amy decided to leave those behind. In her new place, everything she needed was already present. She guessed that the next occupant of her apartment would be delighted to have, at least, less furniture to worry about. In a way, there was furniture already in her apartment when she moved in, she surmised it's her way of giving back.

With a heavy heart, she closed the door of the place she called home for almost seven years. Well, a year and a half of those were spent away, but she made sure that her mother would check on it and her short-term tenants who filled the void.

"We forgot to tell them last night that I am moving in with you," Amy said as she was approaching Sheldon. The idea didn't bother her, mainly because what she's doing was a sanctioned move. But their friends must've wanted to hear the news from them instead of Amy just appearing on Sheldon's apartment like nothing happened.

Sheldon raised his head when he heard Amy's voice and pocketed his phone. "I know, but they should've deduced that. I already asked Leonard to move out, there must be a reason for that."

He was thankful that she didn't change her mind. But, also, the underlying pain she tried to suppress but couldn't contain, he felt that like electricity coursing through his body.

"Thanks for bringing Leonard and Penny," she said gratefully despite detachment since the morning. She let Sheldon go in the elevator first before she followed.

Sheldon nodded in acknowledgment. "They insisted. I was only asking for a ride, but they wanted to help. Like I said, when I told them that I was on my way to help you move, they were nothing but astounded. They never thought you would move in with me."

"Well, you do have that kind of vibe," Amy said smugly. The first lighthearted remark she made since he arrived.

Instead of being offended (it did, a little bit), Sheldon just scoffed and said, "That's rude."

She chuckled ever so slightly. Also, the first genuine laugh of the day. "Sorry. I'm slowly turning into Penny and Bernadette now."

Sheldon shook his head in fake disappointment, all the while reprimanding her of the dangers of his carefree friends. "Be careful, you know they drink a lot. Alcohol will cloud your judgment; you don't want your brain to malfunction, do you?"

Amy quickly brush it off. "Don't worry, I'm a lightweight. Remember when we had our first girls' night," she recalled enthusiastically. "I was done with the first glass and didn't have the urge to fill another one."

"Good," he abashedly replied as the ding of the elevator echoed through the empty halls. "I don't want them to turn you into an intoxicated neurobiologist."

"Well, at least I'm still a neurobiologist," she bragged, giving Sheldon a blithesome shrug of her shoulders. That astounded him enormously. How can she be maudlin and emotional in one second, and be jaunty and proud in the next? Her remarkable control of emotions had him swooning on his feet, almost crushed by the elevator doors if not only for that blaring alarm that startled him.

"C'mon guys!" Penny called from the back of a moving truck with its doors ajar. When the last of the boxes were carried in, she closed it properly.

"Amy, I'll drive the truck!" Leonard bellowed from somewhere Amy and Sheldon did not locate at first. It seemed like Leonard was eager because as soon as Amy and Sheldon located him, he was already in the driver's seat, familiarizing himself with the slightly larger vehicle.

Amy approached him on the passenger side, her chin barely perched at the rolled down window "Oh, Leonard, you don't have to."

Leonard grinned mindlessly. "Nonsense. I owe everything to you!" It came out rather enthusiastically, which he probably shouldn't.

Penny emerged from her side and said, "Nevermind him. He's just so happy that he's living with me now and you're moving in with Sheldon." She then patted Amy in the back and flashed her a genuine smile.

"Oh, okay. We'll meet you there, Leonard." Amy waved before approaching Sheldon who was waiting on the hood of her car next to the truck.

He beamed at her as she was strutting to him with her handbag on her shoulder. Not too long, his smile faded when he saw a familiar figure behind Amy who had other plans. "Hey, hey. What are you doing?" Sheldon reprimanded when he saw Penny approaching the back seat and was about to keep her self cozy on Amy's car.

"Hitching a ride?" she replied hesitantly, caught off guard as she was midway to opening the door.

Sheldon sighed haughtily. "Can you please ride with Leonard?" He made it as sincere as possible but didn't seem like it.

"Oooh. You're afraid I'll make Amy blab about how you're treating her?" Penny pretended she was angry but, in reality, Sheldon being possessive of Amy makes her laugh, and at the same time, swells her heart.

"No. Really, you should accompany your fiancé. It's you who's an expert on trucks, go help Leonard, he might not know how to drive a U-Haul truck," Sheldon reasoned out. He was afraid that Leonard was not accustomed to driving a slightly larger vehicle than his usual sedan, so Penny might be a big help.

"Hey! I know how!" Leonard's tiny head peeked from the window, railing at Sheldon's false accusations.

"Regardless of who drives, we'll see you there," Sheldon dismissed as he hopped on the driver's seat, prompting Penny's mouth agape in shock and confusion. Amy gave her a gesture that implied that they were going to explain everything once they arrive at Los Robles and followed Sheldon inside of the car.

* * *

Five hours after and pretty much everything Amy owned had found its way through Sheldon's apartment like a puzzle piece completing the big picture. The unpacking, so far, was the easiest and the most convenient task throughout the moving thing. And the carrying of boxes was the far most pretentious and demanding task of all.

When they arrived at Los Robles, Howard, Bernadette, and Raj were already waiting for them. That was practical since they need more hands than they could have imagined.

Unfortunately, only one large dolly cart was provided by the moving company which caused a waste of time. The boys had to carry all the containers that didn't need much effort to carry and transported the heavy ones all in one push of the cart.

The dilemma left was to carry all four heavy boxes of appliances, books, and mementos, three medium-sized suitcases, and a handful of assorted bags that had various objects that had no specific category. For Leonard and Sheldon, it was just like the Penny incident all over again. It felt like reliving the struggle.

With the stored energy, the boys would carry a box two people at a time, rest for a short time at a landing, and then continue, repeating what they would do. Simultaneously, the girls would carry the suitcases with all their might and succeeded because it's not as heavy as the boxes

Amy's desk found its way beside Sheldon's. Her monitor propped on its legs, making her office desk ensemble complete, with notepads, mesh organizers, laptop, a few notebooks. They even found a way to bring Amy's desk chair which was way fancier than Leonard's.

Inside the recently unoccupied bedroom, her clothes fit perfectly on Leonard's drawers. Her dresses and other attire that needed to be hung managed to squeeze on the wall closet, although she might need to donate some or purchase another closet to accommodate the rest.

Despite having spent almost all of their energy on transporting unimaginably heavy boxes, all of them seem to have different agendas once everything was done.

"Can we snatch Amy for a while?" Penny asked. With the manner that she was holding Amy by the arm, it seemed like she wouldn't accept no as an answer.

Sheldon stood up from his spot. "Why?"

"We just want to talk to her," Bernadette replied, almost standing in the way between Sheldon and Amy

He looked at his watch and plainly said, "It's 3 o'clock."

"So?"

"It's too early to drink," he reasoned out, worry etched on his face.

"Why do you always assume that we'll be having some alcohol?" Bernadette retorted.

"You're going to Penny's apartment, and you, of all people, should know that there's always alcohol."

"Fair point," Penny asked, shrugging as she tugged at Amy.

Sheldon worriedly followed them in the hallway but he was abruptly halted by Bernadette.

"We'll catch up with Amy," she said, lightly putting a palm on his chest to stop whatever he was planning.

"But we're not yet finished with her things. She and I still have to decide if what order should her books must be arranged: alphabetically, by genre, by color, by size, or by date of publishing?"

He followed them further deep into the hall, almost inside of the apartment now. Penny seemed to be not giving a crap about Sheldon's reasoning.

"We can discuss that later, Sheldon. We still have tomorrow to think about it," Amy finally managed to say something for herself, but Sheldon didn't seem impressed.

He whined, "But—"

"Wife's order, Shelly," Penny added. "You and the boys can play. I know you miss those days." She tried to trigger an emotional response to shoo away Sheldon. Penny knew all the boys missed their bachelor days especially now that three out of four of them already found their significant halves.

"But Amy can't drink," he moaned, standing in front of the door.

"I can do what I want to Sheldon." Amy peeked from behind, berating him sternly. He felt crestfallen from her tone of voice. "But, you're more than right. It's too early to drink so I won't." And just like that, she softened. She was aware of Sheldon's aversion to alcohol, especially day drinking, but he got nothing compared to Amy. Good thing, she wouldn't drink.

As soon as Sheldon left and the door across the hall slammed shut, Amy immediately asked hesitantly, "Is this about us?"

"Damn right, it is!" Penny interjected as she picked out a wine bottle from her cupboard.

"Well, we already told you everything." Amy just shrugged it off, seemed nonchalant about their desire to know more.

When she and Sheldon were left packing in her apartment, they talked about the possibility of their friends wanting more. Sheldon was unconcerned as to what Amy will disclose, but he made her promised that she wouldn't encourage ridicule from their friends, especially when he's not around.

Bernadette scoffed. "We know it's not everything. Of course, you kept something."

"That's why we kept it, it's our privacy," she answered condescendingly which was not acceptable for her newfound friends.

"Privacy, schmrivacy." Penny mocked, prompting Amy to react in a feigned affronted manner.

"Well, what do you want to know." Amy took a sip from the offered glass of orange juice. It was her way to somehow tell her inner self that everything will be okay.

"Did something happened?" Penny interrogated.

Amy didn't answer. Instead, she gave them a long stare beneath her glasses. The way she gulped her juice was way too obvious than she intended to.

"Oh my God! Something did happen!"

"I didn't say that!" Maybe not answering was a terrible idea. Now, they all assume something did happen.

"Then why aren't you answering and giving us a weird look instead," Bernadette complained.

"Don't you think the word _something_ is too vague to evaluate?" Amy explained the loophole, prompting the two to formulate a plan of their own.

Penny's face brightened up. "Alright. Did you have sex?" She leaned from her seat, parallel to Amy, flashing her a salacious look that defied what Sheldon's mother believed in.

Amy gulped hard. It's a wonder she didn't choke on her juice. "Wow, walked right into it, didn't I?" She cleared her throat as she scratched her head.

"What?" Bernadette said innocently. "You said you wanted something specific."

"To answer the question: no, nothing happened."

"Then why did you stay overnight last week? If you got married Friday, you most certainly stayed the night because I saw your used dishes from breakfast," Penny revealed. It made Bernadette do a scandalized look, believing the implication of what Penny said.

"You deduced just from that alone?" Confused, Amy asked.

Penny downed the remaining milliliters of her wine before answering. "Yeah. And Sheldon was acting weird when Leonard and I asked him why there were so many dishes in the sink."

"Nothing happened, I swear. I merely stayed the night because Sheldon made a reasonable point that we can do that as the practice round, I guess," she reasoned out.

The sly looks from her friends did it. Amy knew they'd do or say something about what she said. They'll definitely misinterpret what she said and assume something out of context.

"Yeah, right. Because you really need to _practice_ before the real thing."

Both women nodded suggestively, implying that there were some actions behind those closed doors. Amy just sighed wearily.

"Why is it all about sex? We just slept innocently in the apartment." Her statement rang as something directly right out from Sheldon Cooper's textbook. It seemed like Sheldon already briefed her on how to react.

"Same bed?" Penny asked

"Separate beds."

"Well, it's just Sheldon's really comfortable being with you. You've only known the man for four years and barely met him personally, but here you are, married and living in the same roof together," Bernadette started. "We would deduce that something might've happened to an extent that caused Sheldon to treat you that way."

"Maybe not sex, but perhaps a make-out session. Up to what base are we talking?" Penny wouldn't let it go. She assumed that Amy would've probably flipped out by now at how she and Bernie were being persistent, but there was one thing she discovered: Amy was a patient, albeit weird, woman and putting her through a wringer doesn't seem to be effective.

"There are no bases." Amy scoffed and walked past them, refilling her glass. The girls were following her every move—from how she opened the fridge to how she deliberately poured the juice. Amy speculated that it was their way of making her guilty of not confiding to her only close female friends.

"Then what is it?" Desperate was word Amy was looking for as those specific words came right out of Penny's mouth.

"You wouldn't let it go until I said something?"

She exhaled, rubbing her forehead when her friends desperately nodded their heads heedlessly. They wanted to know something. They wouldn't let it pass. She was stuck between her vow to Sheldon and her wish to keep her friends.

She revealed, "We kissed." _I was expecting some squealing,_ she thought when no one moved a muscle. They were just intently looking at her like she was some kind of Japanese ring puzzle that baffles anyone who tries to solve it.

Bernadette narrowed her eyes and asked, "Is it a kiss or are we talking _kisses?"_

Amy raised four fingers while trying to hide her face by making her other hand a cover from her friends' leer.

"Good Lord! That's a lot!"

And that was the reaction she was looking for. Penny sniffed the air, closing her eyes as she did, trying her best to absorb everything. Bernadette just clapped her hands together while giving her an impressed look.

"You really did?"

"Three kisses on the car and a kiss on the actual ceremony," Amy counted, her cheeks turning crimson.

"I couldn't believe Sheldon could do that. How'd you make it do it?" Bernadette asked in disbelief and pure amazement.

"I initiated the first two, and maybe his OCD kicked in and he had to do it a third time." Amy pulled out her phone from her pocket, hoping to show something to the two.

"Oooohhh," Penny and Bernadette's reaction was priceless. Whether be it from Amy's admittance that she and Sheldon kissed four times, or from the photo she'd been meaning to show them, they were gobsmacked and intrigued. It was a candid, somewhat close-up photo of Sheldon, mid-talk as his mouth was slightly agape in a weird manner, behind the wheel, dressed not in his usual but, rather, in something elegant and suave.

Penny and Bernadette exchanged looks as Amy waited with bated breath, ill at ease at how they were reacting.

When Penny seemed to formulate an inevitable, open-ended question that even Sheldon wouldn't be able to answer. "Since you're already married, is this relationship ever going to be physical?"

* * *

"Hey, you okay?" Leonard asked, worried.

The certain _du-run_ sound of the game putting into mute resounded through the apartment. Sheldon didn't seem to notice, his controller slowly slipped from his hand, only his pinky was holding on to dear life. Only when all eyes were on him did he recapture his consciousness.

"W-Wha . . . me? Of course. Why wouldn't I be okay?" He recovered back his grip on the controller only to be halted by the bold _GAME OVER_ splashed over the screen. _Darn,_ he chided himself for zoning out and, also, for losing the round.

"Why are you so quiet then?" Raj released his controller to the table and turned to Sheldon.

Caught between telling and not telling, he sighed. "I-I'm just worried that they'll intoxicate Amy." Fear was marked strongly across his face, making the grooves on his forehead pop and the slight shiver of his lower lip.

"Pff . . . you know they wouldn't," Howard brushed it off easily, devouring a whole chip which made a sonorous crunch.

"I suppose you're right," Sheldon admitted, clasping his hands together. He was expecting anyone to click on the play again catalog on the screen but no one seemed to be bothered to play another round.

"So, how are you?"

"Well, I'm good. Thank you for asking. Aren't you're sweet, Leonard?" He smiled at his best friend who was leaning all the way back to where he was sitting, legs crossed and hands enveloped his bent knee.

"Nooo . . . what Leonard meant was how was your time with Amy?" Howard elaborated, doing all sorts of hand gestures to support Leonard's question.

"Considering that she just moved in a few hours ago, I could not answer your question without gathering more information."

"And what information would that be?" Raj raised his eyebrow almost in a suggestive manner.

"For starters, the duration of her stay, her willingness to abide by our approved schedule, her preferences toward various domestic aspects . . . you know, all of those pressing matters."

"Yeah right, like her preferred position: the classic missionary, or perhaps some whimsical cowgirl. Yeehaw!"

"Why does it all have to be about sex?" He retorted at the boorish remark from Howard. His response was deliberately retrieved from his textbook of logic and rationality—patent pending.

"Because you know . . . you're married now," Howard suggested, prompting Leonard and Raj to nod their heads in agreement.

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Well, you haven't told us much about what happened at the wedding," Leonard laid out softly as not to spook the bird, that was Sheldon, that they were about to capture.

"Tell us about that instead." Raj leaned forward in anticipation like a child waiting for his bedtime story.

"Well, it was quite tedious, that is," Sheldon moaned wearily, expressing his exhaustion by rubbing his head and arching his back.

"Amy would divorce you if she heard that." Leonard's comment got a fit of giggles from the boys, concurring altogether.

"I meant the queuing for the license and the waiting—that was tedious," Sheldon expressed, his voice got clearer trying to explain things.

"Doesn't California law states that you should have at least one witness at your wedding?"

"Funny you asked, we did have a witness."

"How's that funny?"

Confusion dominated Leonard, Howard, and Raj as Sheldon recounted in an exciting, almost unlikely of him, manner.

"Hear me out; we met this wonderful gay couple who came from different family backgrounds—one was from the hippie Ben & Jerry's state, Vermont and the other was raised in a religious, strict Catholic farm family from North Dakota who was disowned by his own family," he narrated, enthusiastic about the people he met at the courthouse.

"That sounds awful. How's that funny?" Howard replied in remorse. Everyone agreed with Howard, scrunching their faces with disgust.

"I . . . uh . . . well, it's how Amy and I met them that it was funny."

"How did you meet them?" Raj asked.

"We were waiting in line and we were asked by the lady who works there if we had a witness; we didn't. And this couple behind told us they don't have one either, so Amy and I became Stephen and Stefon's witness, and they were willing to be ours." He ended his story with an anticipating look.

"Okay. We clearly have a different sense of humor." Wide-eyed, Raj averted his gaze from Sheldon to Leonard, sitting across from him.

"The wedding was good, and it's just the usual ceremony with the same words and all?" asked Howard.

"Yup."

"Since it was just your typical courthouse wedding, you kissed Amy?" It was Leonard's turn to pry.

"Where did you get that? Did Penny blab?" Sheldon was rattled. "I shouldn't have allowed Amy to tell them about the kisses." He shook his head in disappointment

"Oooh _kisses . . ._ You know you just revealed yourself." Howard scoffed, grinning at the slip-up.

"We meant after the ceremony; the judge always asks the both of you to kiss each other," explained Raj

"I misspoke. Yes, we kissed. Grow up, Howard." He gaped at them, eyes narrowed in irritation.

Howard held his hands up in surrender. "No need to be condescending. We were just asking."

To ease the tense rising from Sheldon, Leonard diverted the topic. "Do you have any photos taken?"

Sheldon's face brightened at the memories of the photos he took in secret. He knew Amy had a couple of them taken when he was not looking; he can sense the imaginary click of the camera from her phone. Of course, he wouldn't show them what he took—he hoped Amy didn't too—but there was a certain photo that spoke volumes on what happened that day.

"Stephen took this and sent it to me." He turned the phone towards his friends, waving it slowly so all of them can have a good look at it. It was a spontaneous photo of him and Amy, their sides, and almost half of their backs were on to the camera as they both had their heads facing the judge. You can't make any expression from their faces, which favored on Sheldon's side because he doesn't want them to see how he reacted. Even Sheldon doesn't want to see how he reacted.

"Don't you have any photo that showed your face? You and Amy only had a quarter of your faces facing the camera," Raj demanded.

"No. That's about it." Like a good liar he'd been for the past few weeks, he didn't tell them about the choreographed photo of him and Amy posing for the camera, with the state seal behind them, substantiating their civil ceremony. It was against his morale to pose for a photo, but Amy seemed to work her charms to coax him into posing for just one—or so he thought, Amy had at least a dozen photos she asked Stefon to take.

Now, the boys seemed to be convinced about the lack of pictures, they just let it slide. "Well, where are you and Amy taking this?"

Sheldon cocked his head, furrowing his forehead in confusion. "What? Are you suggesting that I take her to Texas? If my family wants to meet Amy they need to fly in. We're both at the peak of our career: in a month, I'm going to start with my lectures and Amy is nearing the conclusion with her study at Caltech. We can't afford to lose some precious time."

"I'm not talking about physically taking Amy somewhere," Leonard added.

Raj nodded his head, asking Sheldon, "I think Leonard's talking about your relationship. Where are you gonna take that?"

"I assume Amy and I, as a married couple, will just stay here in my apartment. I do not see the need to move anywhere else, provided that the building management allows us to continue living here as long as we pay our rent."

Howard scoffed haughtily. "Let's simplify it some more for Mr. 187 IQ Genius: are you ever gonna be physical with Amy? You know . . . the intimate aspect, the sweet lovin', bow chicka wow wow—that kind of thing. When are you gonna birds and the bees her?"


	7. Birds and the Bees Me

"I apologize for passing out last night," Amy groaned as she was clutching her head in discomfort. Perched on the stool at the kitchen island, Sheldon took note of how she was reacting.

"No worries. I take full responsibility. I only stressed that day drinking is somewhat absurd, but I haven't told you about the detrimental effects of having a nightcap," he said, sitting across from her. The coffee aroma was strong but it didn't make Sheldon flinch, even better, it brought unusually good feelings to him.

"Well, I had wine alongside dinner. I wouldn't really consider it a nightcap."

He chuckled lightly. "You're tipsy, almost ready for bed, just an hour after our dinner. If that's not the definition of a nightcap, I don't know what is." He had this arrogant look on his face that didn't bother Amy. Leaning his body on the island, he asked, "How was your sleep?"

"Good, good. I even can't remember walking to the room and my head hitting the pillow. Maybe it was from the alcohol, but oh well." She shrugged, smiling at Sheldon beyond her mug.

Sheldon didn't tell her his ordeal last night. It was true: Amy was drinking wine as they were having dinner, alongside Penny and Bernadette, while the boys, excluding him, were enjoying their bottles of beer. What he wasn't aware of was the fact how lightweight Amy was. Two three-quarter-filled wine glasses and she was out, beside him, on the couch. There was a point where she lay her head on his lap, locking him in place, ignorant on what to do.

In the end, all of them gather together to lift Amy to Leonard's bed, which Sheldon needed to dress with linens beforehand. He was holding Amy by the shoulders and back, her upper torso situated on his forearm, while the others figured out how to carry her without hurting themselves nor Amy. The girls, who were as drunk as Amy would have been if she ever had a high tolerance, were there to be spotters, which they didn't do so well, and dressed Amy for bed.

When everyone went home, it was up to him to finish what was left, staying up late beyond his bedtime to do his laundry and some work.

"What are we gonna do today?" she asked. Amy mustered to stand up and prepared oatmeal for both of them.

"Well, we still have to arrange your books. But that doesn't take too much time. You and I need to discuss something," he started, clasping his hands together. The way Sheldon was gazing at her sent spine-chilling feeling towards her. It felt like she was in trouble.

"Do you remember the contract I drafted if ever we get married?"

She eased up when it wasn't as alarming as she expected. And Sheldon might have sensed her apprehension because his tone changed the minute he saw her face.

"Is it fine if we do some amendments along the way?" he gently laid it out, slightly hissing as he anticipated for Amy's answer.

"Of course. Right now?" she responded. She sat back down, prepare to tackle the topic with Sheldon, as they waited for their breakfast to finish.

"Excellent." He stood up and got something from his desk. "Well, do you have anything to add? Last time, we've already established the separate rooms, what to do when one is sick, and all the other things that you added."

"The girls and I had a weird talk yesterday," Amy started. "They were asking about intimacy and whatnots."

Sheldon had an astounded look on his face. "Were they asking if we are gonna be intimate with each other? I had the same discussion with the guys yesterday. They were talking about the ecological impact of birds and bees in our local ecosystem and the world at large. I don't know how the two directly correlate with each other, but a physicist shouldn't be bothered by that."

Amy chuckled at his innocence. "Yes, they asked about the intimacy, but what astounds me is your naivete towards the phrase ' _birds and the bees'_. It's a common euphemism used by adults to explain sexual relationships to children."

He was taken aback, mouth agape, scrunching his face. "Why would they explain sexual relationships to children anyway?"

"Exactly," Amy echoed his notion before adding, "But you know children, they're inquisitive. They want to know how things work. The birds and bees metaphor is just an easier and less vulgar way of explaining sex," she reasoned out as Sheldon nodded his head in agreement. He had that similar talk with his mother in the past, but that was more on abstinence and chastity part; nothing about avians and insects.

"What did you say to them? Do you have any plans to take advantage of me?! Don't tell me you're planning on ravishing me at this very table!" he croaked, covering his chest with his arms as though he was being violated.

"Don't be frantic," Amy assured, but not before expelling a throaty laugh. "I have no intention of doing that to you. If not, I should be the one warning you," she alerted if ever Sheldon thinks of doing it. "I said, ' _I don't know if we're ever gonna have that aspect of the relationship,'_ and for some reason, they wouldn't believe me."

"I had similar talks with the guys."

"And what did you say?"

"I said the same thing. What are you expecting?" Sheldon raised his eyebrows as a reaction.

"Nothing really. I know you would answer that," Amy answered, shrugging her shoulders. She stood up and started mixing their oatmeal.

He didn't tell her what's his usual breakfast that day, nor the fact that he didn't insist on Amy to abide by his schedule; it wasn't a big deal if she prefers to eat anything other than his usual. But what he told, or rather, left in the refrigerator door, was the list of his eating schedule—including his breakfast. Maybe that's where she knew about it. Yes, he mentioned it, maybe once or twice, but he never recounted it into detail.

Amy seemed to be a natural. Like she was a roommate once. She knew how to take care of people. She knew how the world works. Effortlessly. Maybe not so effortless as the likes of Penny, but he knew she was more of an expert than he was.

"Do you want to be intimate?" he blurted out of the blue, leaning forward as he clutched his glass tighter.

"I didn't say that," she answered reasonably. No stutters nor change of tone.

"I'm asking you because I am a man. And we don't lose as much as what women would lose."

Amy turned around, carrying a bowl on each hand. "And what are we gonna lose, then?" she asked naively, innocently as she carefully laid the bowl in front of Sheldon.

"Really? You're asking me that? You're a biologist; you should know about that," he responded smugly.

"Fair point. But that's a misconception fueled by society and religion."

"So you don't value your virginity?" It came out rather discourteous and rude, but in no way, he meant it to be like that.

"The term 'virginity' is inherently ambiguous, don't you think? Losing one's virginity does not always mean penetration, sometimes it pertains to your first sexual encounter, with either someone or just your own. But I value my virginity. I wouldn't sleep with just any man I find," Amy responded, well-versed with own facts.

"Interesting. Neither I would sleep with anyone. I don't even know if I'm up for those kinds of activities."

"Why are we talking about sex anyway?" she managed to blurt out between spoonfuls.

"I assume you'd want that someday, given that we're married, it's a possibility that it would happen," Sheldon nonchalantly replied as he shoved a spoonful of warm oatmeal in his mouth.

Amy gulped her breakfast and then pointed out, "How about this: spontaneity . . ."

"Ooh, you know I not so favor with spontaneity," he hissed, his facial expression changed with the words.

"Okay. How about we include it on the agreement," she suggested, "but there is no pressure to act on it. At least, if something does happen, which I highly doubt there will be, it is already written in the contract."

"That seemed rational." Sheldon nodded. He started scribbling on the paper he retrieved from a while ago, drafting anything that he could think of. He cleared his throat once he completed his initial draft.

"Hear me out," he began, raising a finger, " _Intimacy, in any form, such as but not limited to hand-holding, cuddling, hugging, kissing, checking each other for growth beyond what is covered by clothes, is permitted on these certain grounds: a.) verbal and/or written consent from both parties; b) must be done in privacy with no one hearing and seeing any certain actions and; c) non-disclosure of the said actions."_

When he ended Amy, she had this look on her face, like she was contemplating something, almost muttering something to herself as the words came out of Sheldon's mouth He waited, eyebrows shot up in anticipation.

"So I can kiss you and you can kiss me anytime?" Amy hinted, biting her lower lip in jest. It was an act to remove the tension caused by their discussion.

"Considering that we've kissed before, you can. As long as there is consent and were behind closed doors. "

"Thanks for clarifying," Amy replied.

Silence took over. Sheldon was scanning through his document as Amy stared at him with great awe. She continued with her breakfast, observing the deliberate flip of the paper and a few scribbles Sheldon made along the way.

"Um . . . okay. On to our next topic." Amy suggested sheepishly after that long silence.

Upon hearing what she said, he stopped flipping at the page where he needed to discuss. "The driving situation. It had different terms the last time we talked about it," he began, "You have my blessing to be the driver between the two of us. We're breaking the gender stereotypes if you ask me."

"I'll only concur if you allow me to have my day off."

"Day off? How can it qualify as a day off?"

"Maybe I'm not in the mood to drive you to work. Then you can drive instead," she shrugged, making the suggestion.

"We can let Leonard drive."

It took a while for Amy to answer but she concurred, "Fine."

"Sleeping arrangements, ouchies and boo-boos . . ." he listed once more when the driving situation was resolved. He flipped through the paper. "Ah, here! Chores."

"I'm fine with doing my own chores. You know, like laundry, my groceries," she responded through a spoonful of oatmeal.

Sheldon nodded. "There are chores that we can agree to divide: cooking; cleaning the house, except for our separate bedrooms; washing dishes. We can do groceries together to save time and fuel, but we can go on our separate ways once we're inside. As for the laundry, we can do our own but you're always welcome to join me on my weekly Saturday laundry night. You missed last night because of the—" and then he acted chugging an imaginary glass, demonstrating how Amy drank her wine last night. Luckily, she was a good sport.

Everything became easygoing from then on. The rest of the day was spent on organizing the books left from yesterday. Since a whole bookcase was empty cleaned for Amy to use, it was her who decided on what schematic to use. And she went with alphabetical, which appeased Sheldon, and made it somewhat similar to how he arranged his.

* * *

It was just an ordinary, workday Friday. Sheldon and Amy were getting accustomed to each others' habits as the days passed. Amy was a coffee drinker, which didn't surprise Sheldon since everyone he knew was. Sheldon was truly a stickler for schedules, which Amy knew but didn't have enough time to digest.

While the other was not accustomed to some of his/her habits, both of them made compromises to work through the differences.

Like on Tuesday, when they woke up later than usual. It was fairly established that Amy was supposed to bathe first, followed by Sheldon. Since they've wasted a lot of time sleeping in, Sheldon darted in the bathroom as soon as he woke up, not taking Amy's morning ablutions into account. In his defense, he didn't know that Amy had slept in too; he just assumed that she was already done with the bathroom and it was his turn.

Poor Amy had to walk across the hall and politely asked Leonard and Penny if she could, at least, pee. Sheldon noticed that Amy wasn't talking to him on the car ride to work and, in fact, the whole day. However, she ate lunch with them, which he found a relief, though he was still getting the cold treatment.

The day after that—Wednesday—Amy still was ignoring him, just a short response or none at all. Usually, she would greet him in the morning and he would greet her back, and then she would go to the bathroom. It wasn't the case that Wednesday morning. To redeem himself from any mistakes he made, which he didn't quite understand what were those, he made her a cup of coffee and fixed her a breakfast of waffles, which was not his usual Wednesday breakfast. Amy seemed pleased because she started eating what he prepared but she still didn't say any lengthy sentences. To top off his semi-apology, he offered to drive them to work and Amy's lips quirked upwards, albeit timid, grin which probably meant that everything's good.

As they were walking up the stairs, now friendly after the tiny spat two days ago, both were relieved when their initial week was somewhat successful. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but no one got a cut or a bruise throughout the week.

Sheldon inserted the key to their apartment. His subconscious was expecting the _click_ as he turned the key clockwise. On most days, he does not care for it, but when it didn't sound right, he freaked out.

He turned his head to Amy. She had this look on her face, too. _Did you notice that?_ he thought to himself, hoping Amy would get his gist. Amy just nodded and mouthed, _It's not locked!_ Both were cautious about locking the door whenever they go out. On cue, they both nodded at each other, Amy pulled out her pepper spray, and Sheldon carefully removed the key from the hole, careful to not create any noise, and readied his Swiss Army knife.

A loud bang resonated through the room as Sheldon dramatically pushed the door with his body, Amy following behind him with her hand holding the pepper spray outstretched. The person inside was startled and then looked at both of them in disbelief, throwing her arms up.

"Mom?" Sheldon withdrew his hand and gave her a quizzical look.

Mary's expression dropped and smiled as she approached the two. "Hey, Baby!" she greeted, giving him a warm embrace.

"Mom, please don't call me baby in front of Amy," he whispered beneath his gritted teeth as his mother hugged him tightly.

Mary leaned back, clutching him by the shoulders. "Oh, I'm sorry. Ya don't want your wife hearing me calling you baby?" Sheldon just rolled his eyes and sighed. He moved away as Mary loosened her grip on him.

"Hi, Mrs. Cooper. It's nice to finally meet you." Amy extended her hand, but not before keeping away her lethal weapon, and offered a handshake. Instead, Mary enveloped her in her arms and gave Amy an equally loving hug.

"Amy, dear, George's mother is Mrs. Cooper. Call me Mary," she said, her smile never faded. "It's so nice to finally meet ya too." She squeezed Amy once more. "I heard a lot of wonderful things about ya, dear."

Amy returned her hug and beamed back to her mother-in-law. Before she could answer, Sheldon gently broke apart their embrace and confronted his mother.

"What are you doing here, Mom?" Sheldon demanded. Not that he hated whenever his mother visits, on the contrary, he loves it when Mary flies from Texas, but with the addition of Amy, his mother would be an incessantly annoying parent who meddles with her child's life. Top it all with the ceaseless chatter of his friends, it sure would be a riot.

"Well, ya didn't tell me when are you getting married; ya only told me the day after. So, I decided to come and meet this lovely woman."

Sheldon noticed that dinner was already served on the island, buffet style. Despite his initial reaction to his mother's visit, his face brightened at the opportunity to taste home once more.

It turned out that Mary had been in Los Angeles since morning, maybe an hour after they left for work, and rested in their apartment for a while. She knew Sheldon would demand her cooking and, by the manner he slowly crept to the island with that look on his face, Mary knew she did the right thing.

Everything gathered around for dinner—more like a feast. Leonard was informed beforehand, by Mary, that picking up Chinese food wasn't necessary as she'll be able to serve to everyone.

The dinner progressed as naturally as it should. Usually, when Mary visits, she's always beside Sheldon, claiming the middle seat, usually sandwiched by either by Bernadette or Howard on her right. Now, she seemed to be downgraded beside Amy, who was now occupying her previous space. Truth be told, Mary was delighted and thankful for the arrival of Amy. If not for her, she didn't know where Sheldon would be right now, considering that episode he had last summer.

Sheldon, on the other hand, was relieved when no one made any indecorous remarks about him and Amy. Even better, their friends were talking more about their own and letting him or Amy talk whenever Mary asks.

When dinner ended, Sheldon thought it would be the end of his and Amy's tribulation. Amy was smart; she knew if something does not feel right. But even as Sheldon subtly displayed how he's feeling, about the intuition he had that something's about to go down, Amy seemed oblivious about it.

Mary said she would stay the night. That was Sheldon's afraid of. His first clue was the lone suitcase in his room when he changed before dinner, and second, was the blatant announcement from his mother as they were finishing for the night. He was forced to give up his bedroom as his mother would want to sleep in " _Barbie's sofa_."

Although Mary had a suggestion and he didn't know how to feel about it.

"Hi," he greeted once Amy opened the door for him after three consecutive knocks. "Can I come in?"

Amy was clearly shocked that he wanted to step foot inside her room. He typically just stays outside and wait for her to wake up, and eventually knock whenever she slept beyond their schedule. "U-Uh, sure . . . sure. You can sit down," she stuttered, caught dumbfounded. She even pointed out the bed for him to sit down, which she thought was somewhat aggressive for her part, but Sheldon sat at that stool she had across the bed.

"My mother's forcing me to sleep here. She said that we're married now and should be comfortable sleeping on the same bed." He slumped down on the stool, moping, as Amy took a seat on her bed. "And she took control of my room because she didn't want to sleep on the couch."

Not knowing what to do or what to reply, she roamed her eyes and started arranging her pillows even though it was flawlessly kept from the morning. "I . . . uh . . . wait a second," she huffed.

"It's okay. I can sleep on the couch." Sheldon was quick to dismiss what she was doing but Amy was having none of it.

"No, no, no . . . you can stay here. I-I can sleep on the couch. I'm more sofa-sized." The sounds of the patting of the pillows and the flattening of the sheets were overpowering that Sheldon had nothing to respond.

And then Amy was out of the room with her phone, a pillow, and a new blanket, which she retrieved from her drawer. Sheldon felt guilty for doing that. For shooing her away from her own room. She must have been afraid of what Mary might say if she stayed with him. Even more so, he should be the one sleeping on the couch. What kind of gentleman does that? That really was lousy of him, to be honest. With his mind made, instead of preparing himself to snuggle in the cover, he followed Amy outside.

Before he could open the door, she swung it open by herself, making him jump a little bit.

"Your mom says that we should stay here together," she sighed, averting the gaze from her husband.

"You both should!" A booming Southern accent echoed from behind. Mary peeked from Sheldon's bedroom, smirking at the both of them innocently. He knew that the authoritative voice was not one to mess with. "Get some rest! We're going out tomorrow!" she even added.

He sighed, shoulders dropped down, facing his mother. Amy just patted him on the back, Mary was slowly disappearing as the door was closed gently.

"I'm sorry. Not one month of living here and we've already violated our agreement," Sheldon apologized as Amy walked passed him. She sat the side closest to the door, which probably meant that she'll be sleeping there.

"It's alright. I don't mind sharing the bed with you," Amy assured, watching him round the bed to the other side. "As long as you keep it in your pants," she then added a joke.

Sheldon looked at her quizzically. "Well, I don't have a pocket in my pajama pants so I don't know what you're talking about." He pulled back the covers and went under the thin sheet.

"I meant no hanky panky, funny business. I certainly don't want your mother hearing us doing that," she clarified as she followed Sheldon.

"Oh, you mean sex," Sheldon realized, his ears turning hot red from embarrassment. "I wouldn't do that with my mother literally next door," he whispered, looking straight ahead to the ceiling.

To make things light, she teased, "But you'll do it when she's already back in Texas?"

He gasped and turned his head to Amy, who was silently chuckling. "I wouldn't do it with or without my mother next door. That would be ungentlemanly of me."

Amy turned off her night lamp. The conversation ended but she can feel his bedmate was wide awake.

"Do you think is this an opportunity to try some of the intimacy that we've added in the contract? Considering that we're behind doors," she uttered in a low, soft voice.

"What are you proposing?" He gulped in terror. What if Amy will take advantage of him?! What if he'll take advantage of Amy?! He's still a man with fluctuating urges! What if his body reacts inappropriately

"Hugging, cuddling. Nothing too aggressive," she said with nonchalance.

Sheldon exhaled in relief, laughing breathily at his frenzied thoughts."Alright, but let's wait for my mother to sleep before we do that."

He closed his eyes, all other senses heightened. He did that to better know what his mother was doing. He heard a pop of a cap of some sort, then the friction of his newly-washed carpet and his mother's shoe-covered feet, then some rustlings of the light fabric—maybe her robe or some clothing. There was a click and then another click and then he felt a soft, warm sensation wrapping around his middle torso.

Sheldon opened his eyes at the profound feeling. He looked down, only to be welcomed by Amy's head, a whiff of papaya which he supposed was the flavor of her anti-dandruff shampoo. It was a light, freeing hug, but he stiffened. Amy must have noticed that he did so her embrace loosened even further but that didn't deter her from removing her head nestled on Sheldon's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" he whispered, the air from his mouth made her hair dance weakly.

"Initiating the experiment," she answered in a muffled voice, the heat from her mouth surely penetrated through his pajama top.

"Only five minutes," he replied.

Sheldon pulled out his hand that was being squeezed by Amy's body. He gently placed it on her shoulder and patted her awkwardly.

For Amy, she just couldn't wait a second not enveloping Sheldon in her arms. As soon as he closed his eyes, she slowly snaked her way into his side and held him. Her head on his shoulder, although there was a time that she cocked her head up and she breathed in Sheldon's neck, which made him shudder. Even though laying on his right side, she was able to feel his heart pulsating, even saw it beating amidst his clothes. To mollify him, she placed her hand on his chest, specifically, the left side and started caressing it lovingly.

Five minutes passed, caresses were dwindling down to a stop, heart rates dropping to rest, breathing further and further into deep, stable breaths, eyelids were of great weight, descending, and those five minutes turned into a night of warm company, and deep and sound slumber.


	8. Why Are We Here?

"Where are we going?" Sheldon excitedly asked, strapping himself in the backseat before tapping his lap in excitement.

"It's a secret, Shelly. Y'all have to wait," Mary announced in a patient manner.

"Yet Amy can know and not me?" he answered. Sheldon peeked at Amy, who just gave him a timid smile.

"Well, to be clear, she's driving, and she needs to know cause I ain't driving."

"Don't you dare kidnap me, you two," he cautioned in jest, but deep inside, there was a slight fright when Amy and his mother wouldn't tell him where to go.

It also raised suspicion within him when his mother asked him to 'dress nicely'. He thought his superhero shirt was enough, but he was quickly ordered—somewhat pushed—to change into something more decent, more person-like, she said. So a long-sleeved buttoned-down shirt and his usual khaki pants seemed to suffice to what his mother deemed as decent.

When he saw Amy in a purple, velvet dress over a floral long-sleeved, he surmised that he wasn't the only one who was instructed to dress nice. However, Amy seemed unconcerned about wearing that type of outfit. Even odd was that she already had the dress ready as soon as they woke up.

Now, he observed the route they were traversing. It was to the West, which probably meant that his mother intended to bring them somewhere in Los Angeles. Out from the limits of Pasadena, then to Glendale, which he thought was the final stop.

When they were exiting the Glendale limits, he was hoping that they would stop at the LA Zoo, but Amy continued. He thought they were going to the Griffith Observatory, but they went past that too. Then he was expecting a visit to the Travel Town Museum, home to trains and locomotives a boy could wish for, but Amy never stopped. Every landmark and tourist spots he knew of were ignored, no one even batted an eye at the massive billboards promoting some known and unknown shows currently in Hollywood.

When they missed—more like passed—the intersection that mostly brought everyone to Downtown LA, he had a hunch. He wasn't exactly sure where their destination would be now. He thought they could be going to Carney's—his and Amy's wedding reception—but he remembered, Amy was supposed to make a turn to the left for them to go there, but that didn't happen, as well. He was out of bullets to shoot.

The ride started from the urbanized area, with tall buildings and crowded with cars, to the melding of the city towards the desert. He thought, for sure, he was getting kidnapped because of how Amy was continuing West and some more West.

"This doesn't seem right," he muttered, following the side of the road as they rode. The yellow ochre shade of the desert slowly dominated the view. He'd been to different parts of California and from what he deduced when you're already seeing those brown, sandy patches, you're going somewhere far.

"It will be, Shelly," Mary replied. She turned her head to his son to check on him.

The reality dawned on Sheldon. They were going westward. Amy said she was from an hour away from Los Angeles. She also said that they have the most supple strawberries from Southern California. Of course, who could say no to those strawberries! And another takeaway was, Amy also told him she was from Oxnard.

"You're bringing me to your family, Amy?!" he bellowed from behind, throwing a look on both on his mother and his wife who both tried to trick him.

"I'm sorry, Sheldon." Amy sighed apologetically. "You're mother coerced me into you meeting my family," she explained. The guilt was in her voice but Sheldon, overwhelmed by emotions, didn't seem to notice it first.

He gasped, mouth still agape as he threw his arms up in disappointment. "Why are you doing this, Mom?! I'll eventually meet Amy's parents!"

"But I want to be there for the first meeting," Mary defended, explaining her side of the story. "And it'll be nice to catch up with your mother, Amy."

"I hope so," she whispered under her breath, hoping Mary wouldn't hear it.

Sheldon just moped in the backseat. His arms crossed on his chest, tensed from all the irritation he's been having. Despite having a lean and adequate physique, his arms bulged from his sleeves, emphasizing his biceps and triceps He's been deceived into going somewhere he doesn't intend to—by his mother and own wife, no less. So there really was an agenda. He thought he wouldn't be easily deceived by their antics; he was mistaken.

How could two important women in his life trick him like that?! After allowing Amy to cuddle him last night, this was what she'd planned to do? He even drifted off last night as they were cuddling, and what was first agreed as five minutes transformed into seven and a half hours of a quiet night. He couldn't really complain about it; he was snoring off his way through the morning, even Amy snored too when he first roused from his sleep.

That woman knew what was happening the moment they were getting ready for bed. And yet, she didn't have the guts to tell him—face to face and unfiltered. He really should devise a plan that would deem any trickery and mischief, done by anyone he knew, pointless and inconceivable.

The rest of the ride had gone silent. To display his annoyance to everyone in the car, he didn't respond to any of the questions thrown at him, by either Mary or Amy. He just sulked and scowled at the back, which didn't seem to please his mother. She softly chastised him like she usually does, but when he didn't even move a muscle at what Mary was talking about, she eventually schooled him like he's a young boy. That made him answer with a pretend enthusiasm to appease his mother.

They eventually reached the city, fields after fields of crops that were recently harvested during the summer welcomed them. There were still some crops left unharvested and there was some land that was recently tilled for the next season.

Plants. He always related himself to those tiny, delicate fellas. Of course, some plants live hundreds of years, some just last for days. Either way, plants seemed like something he can cultivate friendship with. You plant it, water it, at times harvest its fruit, other times you just let it grow into something massive, reap from its benefits. He imagined being those plants, giving his knowledge to people who those deserve it. Plants don't usually just grow on its own; there's definitely someone or something who put it there, take care of it until it blooms.

He always thought that someone was always his mother. In a way, she was, especially when he was younger. When his friends came, he deemed them as those people who took care of him, too. But now . . . Amy seemed to be the one who superseded all those people. She was the support every plant needs, and she sure is a big supporter of him. He wondered if Amy had those people in her life. Sure, her family must have done the help for the first few years. But how about the succeeding years, who were there to help?

His gaze at Amy was perpetual for the next few minutes until they arrived. She exchanged conversation with his mother flawlessly, all social conventions one has to master to fit in. She even asked him a question, but he didn't know what he answered or if he ever did.

After a few turns and twists they made, they were finally outside the Fowler's family house. Sheldon needed to be roused from his reverie by his mother who was already knocking on the window.

He stepped out of the vehicle and what welcomed him was a pathway leading to a single-level craftsman bungalow that boasted glass windows his size and a door that he surmised was larger than what they had at home in Texas. You'd think that single-story houses couldn't afford to have those kinds of doors, but the house in front of him proved him wrong. Most small-numbered families would fit in there, and from what he gathered from all of Amy's anecdotes, she'd classified her family size as small. The sides of the front lawn were adorned with flowers, and bushes, a few shrubs, but that didn't intervene with how the lawn was mowed beautifully, almost perfectly.

"Amy, what a wonderful surprise!" A woman—about the same height as Amy and also wore bulky clothes and about the same age as his mother—welcomed them as she stepped out of the porch. Behind her was a man, maybe half a foot taller than the woman. Both were wearing prescription glasses with thick, almost nauseating, lenses.

Amy walked even further and greeted, "Hey, Mom." The woman hugged her with all her might. Amy then greeted the man behind, "Hi, Dad. I'd miss you." She pulled away from her mother and welcomed her father's embrace.

"It's been a while, Pumpkin."

At this point, Sheldon stood far behind Amy and his mother. He didn't know if he stood there out of respect to the people catching up or if he was frightened about meeting the people who brought life to his wife.

"Mary! It's nice to see you again!"

"Hiya, Pattie! How are the roses?" his mother greeted with zeal.

"They're blooming quite well. By the end of September, I may have lovely, full-grown roses." She gazed at her plants. "But I've been into succulents, too."

"That's good, that's good!" Mary exchanged her eagerness.

Noticing that Sheldon was just standing still, almost ready to flee, behind them, Amy approached him and clutched his elbow. Sheldon looked at her hand on him, averted his stare at her face, and then gulped brutally, making his Adam's apple bob as she'd never seen a man did before.

"Mom, Dad, I want you all to meet Sheldon." Her hold never faltered. It would be selfish of her to deprive Sheldon of deliverance at this type of situation.

Knowing that his mother would be furious if he didn't greet anyone, he cleared his throat roughly and offered his hand. "Good afternoon, Ma'am." Fortunately, she took it with a timid smile. And then to her dad. "Sir." He should've known that the grip was a warning but at that time his soul was floating elsewhere, eluding his body.

"So, you're Sheldon," Amy's mother gave him a head to toe leer as Amy's father never released Sheldon's hand.

To break the tension and the impending harm that might be inflicted—if ever there may be—Amy separated the men's hold on to each other's hand and she initiated, "Okay, that's enough. Let's go inside."

Sheldon was just staring off the distance when the handshake was broken. There was no distinct expression etched on his face. She couldn't determine if he was scared, angry, delighted, or worried about what was happening.

"It's okay, Sheldon. I'm here," Amy whispered on his back as their parents were walking side by side to her family house.

He looked at Amy and that cemented what he truly felt. She sensed the worry and anxiety in him. Even the brief greeting he did was brimming with something unpleasant. Despite Sheldon not stuttering and stumbling with his words, the rigidity of his voice alerted Amy that he wasn't feeling good with what she or rather, what his mother made her do.

That time, as they were walking beside each other through the pathway filled with blooming plants, Sheldon did the unthinkable. His hand sought out Amy's hand to feel comfort, clutching her hand tightly. And fortunately, it did. His touch lingered for quite a while before he had to break it off once they were inside.

Amy thought another one of their rules were broken. In less than a day, no less! She feared that maybe Sheldon would reprimand her when they got home and maybe make her pay a fee to the committee. But he just smiled, an awkward, trembling smile that he mustered to show Amy that he was fine. She wouldn't buy it, but she was relieved to know that Sheldon was showing her how he's feeling.

* * *

"Larry, I saw some old photos of someone wearing the Navy outfit, with the blue ribbon and the white cap and all," Mary interjected in the middle of supper. Their set up was quite conventional for a family dinner. Amy's father was at the head of the table; on his left was his wife and his in-law; and on his right were Amy and Sheldon.

"Ah, Mary, you've seen those?" Amy's father laughed abashedly, tapping the table. "Yes, I once attended the naval academy after high school. I lasted through Plebe Summer but didn't have the heart to finish," he admitted.

In awe, Mary replied, "My husband once served in the Army . . . during the Vietnam war in '68 . . . just about a year and a half. He got injured and never returned."

"Oh no, what happened?" Amy's mother and father had a concerned look on their faces. Amy even looked at Sheldon for answers but he seemed oblivious too.

Mary just chuckled and quick to dismiss their assumptions. She said nonchalantly, "He was a big fella; he couldn't last all the action in the field; he'd broken a foot running too fast. I didn't even know why he enlisted."

A chorus of 'ahhs' and 'oohs' resonated through the dining table

"I also wanted to serve, but training for four years takes a lot of perseverance and courage. Maybe I had some of those but it's not enough to be a commissioned officer," Larry recounted. "But I trained as a Navy reserve but never got deployed in a warzone; it was mostly for training and giving aid for the active troops. It seemed like being in the military was still part of my life."

"Oh, so you're a reserve."

"Yeah, after the Academy, I pursued an engineering degree at MIT. And then I got a civilian job at Port Hueneme; that's why I moved here in Oxnard. My pals at the Seabees encouraged me to train, so I trained to be a reserve. In a way, I still had a connection with the Navy because of the ships and being a reservist."

Sheldon raised his eyebrows and had his eyes wide open when Amy's father mentioned being an engineer. He was quick to dismiss his facial expression but Amy must have seen it because she chuckled lightly at him.

"Wow. Did you and Pattie meet here?" Mary asked.

"You could say that," Amy's mother answered, looking at her husband.

Amy's father picked up the story. "My pals and I were road-tripping along the California coast. We stopped by Santa Maria and met Pattie there. Like they say, and the rest was history."

Mary clapped in delight at their story. "Ahh. What a lovely story!"

"Wait 'til you hear about the Buick!"

The elders continued their talk as Amy and Sheldon kept it to themselves. Both were grateful that they were seated beside each other because for one: Amy would have Sheldon by her side if ever her parents throw a significantly difficult question at her and second; Sheldon would have Amy by his side if ever he gets lost in the house. Either way, both succeeded in their own agenda.

There were a few questions thrown. How, where, and when they've met, which they both answered accurately because they weren't concealing any secrets about their meeting. Sheldon was even confronted by Amy's father on why he wasn't around with them all the time since he'd known Amy for a long time. What Amy's parents didn't know was about the contract Sheldon and his mother agreed upon. Even Mary told Sheldon and Amy not to tell them about any of those. Mary doesn't want his son to be put into the bad side; that would put a damper on the Cooper clan.

Sheldon and Amy feigned that they had a relationship years ago, lost communication, and rekindled their romance for the sake of justifying their whirlwind marriage. Her parents didn't seem to mind.

When dinner concluded, Sheldon had no other choice but to participate in an after-dinner ritual he's fairly familiar with: washing the dishes. Not without Amy, that is. It seemed ungrateful of him not doing it, but washing the dishes may be the only opportunity he could get in a calm, quiet situation while still in the Fowler's territory.

"Are you okay? You seemed very occupied." Amy approached from his back. Surprisingly, he didn't flinch, he just looked back at her and returned with rinsing the plates.

"I apologize. I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that you tricked me into going in here," he replied, feeling the cold water touch his skin. His detachment hinted that maybe he wasn't in his frame of mind for anything.

"Your mother was a force I couldn't contain. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Amy apologized. She neared him, trying to catch his attention. When he did, he gave her a forced, close-lipped smile.

"It's fine. I just wanted some quiet time after that chattery dinner we had." And then he went back to washing.

Sensing that Sheldon wasn't in the mood for some company, she hesitated. "Do you want me to go?"

He sighed, dropping his hands and turning back to Amy. "Sorry. Stay here. Keep me talking."

His stare was unfaltering. She felt like drowning just even getting a glimpse of those eyes. Maybe it was from the water splashing, but Amy remembered feeling something cold penetrate her skin.

"W-We'll go home now in a few." Amy leaned down and grabbed the handle of the dishwasher. She dragged the plates along the counter and knelt with it, deliberately lining up every plate to every groove. "They're still busy with whatever they're talking about."

"I'm sorry if my first meeting with your family didn't go as planned," Sheldon mentioned while Amy was still kneeling beside him.

"Well, I should be sorry." She stood up. "For deceiving you." Amy gazed at him and then went back to what she was doing.

They were silent for a while. There was the faint chattering coming from the living room, the rush of the water out from the faucet, and clangs of the plates hitting with each other.

"It's been a while since I had a father figure in my life," Sheldon admitted, his voice cracked at the last syllables but he quickly redeemed himself by coughing. "I hope your father doesn't carry any gun of some sort. With the way he shook my hand a while back, he seemed like a guy who would shoot whoever is seeing her daughter," he voiced out his concern and it made Amy laugh. The initial statement he said still had that emotional residue but Amy never forgot it. How his genuine words meld into something profound.

She replied to appease them both, "Don't be silly. Dad doesn't have a gun—not that I know of. Maybe he has a pistol somewhere, but I can assure who that it's secured in a gun safe. He's not a violent man. Never once I got a long, scathing tongue-lashing from that man. He's just messing with you. In fact, the tough face that he showed you . . . that was just an act. Dad really has a soft heart." Her voice softened talking about her father. "You know . . . just like you."

He was taken aback. Such a strong presumption from a lady, no less! From the years of existing, not once he heard such an adjective to describe him. He turned off the faucet, wiped his hands on a nearby towel, and turned his whole body to Amy, who was rising from her current position. He sought, "And what does that mean?"

"We all know you're a good, warm-hearted man. It's just that others don't see it," Amy explained, full of confidence. She didn't seem deterred at his authoritarian tone. More so, she just matched his stern attitude by just being the warm, amiable person that she was.

At the display of Amy's vulnerability, Sheldon was flustered. He blushed profusely, cheeks a tinge of crimson, and lips chapped. "W-Well, thanks," he stuttered as he averted his eyes from her and slowly returned on what he's doing. "I also deem myself as such." Amy let out a good-natured laugh, prompting Sheldon to join in.

"I saw some photos of you in the living room," he announced, pointing at Amy like he was accusing her of something.

Now, it was her turn to be silent and blush. Her eyes and mouth wide, almost in a scandalized offended manner. "Oh, God. Not those, Sheldon!" She stomped her feet and feigned anger

"Why not?" He chuckled between words. "You were an adorable child! With the pigtails and that floral dress!"

"Thanks, huh!" She joined in the laughter and continued, "But I rarely pose for those photos."

"Why not? Not that I was a camera-seeker as a child, but I do like my picture being taken, especially if I'm wearing something I like—" he paused to think "—like a Halloween costume."

"That was the most awkward stage of my life. Even as a child, I really don't have that many friends. I have my cousins; they were much older than I am and I don't fit in that much." Amy covered her face at her admission.

Noticing his wife's sudden change of emotions, Sheldon tried his hand at empathy. "You have a lot of friends now." He dropped what he was doing and faced her fully. "And I'm your friend, right?"

"Of course, you are! You're my first true friend . . . besides my family."

"Well . . . this is awkward. You're not my first true friend. But as of now, you're the friend that I'm always with."

"At least, we always got each other's back." Both exchanged smiles and returned to their almost-finished chore.

Sheldon could hardly think of anyone, at that time, that will always be by his side. Amy would always be at the top of his head. Besides being his wife and roommate, she had been one of his long-time friends, however, a bit short in years than those of his other friends. He'd consider her as his female best friend—no offense to Penny—but the bond between him and Amy, he thought, was stronger now that they've got more time spent with each other.

"Amy," he muttered as they finished.

"Yes?"

Sheldon thought he had the courage to tell her. He can say her name but the words that should follow were caught in his throat. Was he nervous? Was he frightened? Or was he just being a wimp? Either way, it was not an excuse to not say the words.

His mouth was in this weird position. Slightly ajar, about to say something. What he wanted to tell his wife that he was grateful. Not just for her presence but also for her wisdom and compassion. It's not every day that he acknowledges someone's worth in his life, nor even take notice.

He gulped, parched mouth didn't even dampen at his pathetic attempt. He's got nothing left inside his bag of tricks. It seemed like this wasn't a good opportunity to admit those to her. Instead, he pointed at a conspicuous stain. "Umm . . . nothing. Y-You have something on your dress."

Amy looked down near her sternum, wiped the rebellious stain, and grinned at her husband.


	9. Do Trains and Alcohol Go Together?

The warm, amber liquid sliding down his throat was rather revolting. It was tough to swallow, and it left a burning, almost gag-inducing, sensation on his chest. It was the convention, and he could not turn it down, not especially from the man in front of him.

"So, you're a physicist," Amy's father leaned back onto his upholstered armchair. Glass in one hand as the other clutched the arm of the chair.

"Yes, Sir. A theoretical physicist, Sir," Sheldon replied, keeping away the lowball glass he'd been holding to a nearby table. It was a lot of _Sirs,_ but he doesn't know if calling Amy's father Mr. Fowler or, simply, Larry was the suitable manner.

The elder man peeked at his watch, stoic. "We've only got ten minutes to talk."

Sheldon nodded in response. He clasped his hands together and sat at the very edge of the chair, leaning forward as he waited for any follow-ups.

"I'm sorry . . . I-I have to know . . ." He paused. "Do you happen to have any firearms lying around the house?" he stuttered but not displaying the nervousness in his actions. It might be the brandy talking, but he was certain that he didn't sip a second one.

"And why does it matter, Mr. Cooper?" Amy's father sought.

The ear-splitting title was something he couldn't pass on a daily basis. But since he's got no more courage than the man in front of him, he'll let it pass as of now. "A-Ah . . . not important. It's just an assumption I made considering that you were a military man." Sheldon cleared his throat, ready to forget what he said, and mimicked his father-in-law's action.

"I have a Smith & Wesson," Amy's father informed nonchalantly. "Would you like to see it?" he followed up.

Sheldon gulped covertly, hoping it wasn't too obvious. He was aware of the infamous gun manufacturer. "No, thank you. My assumptions were proven."

Amy's father swigged another sip, finishing off his drink. Not satisfied, he grabbed his decanter and refilled his glass. "What are your intentions?"

"I suppose we're talking about your daughter…" He looked at him for confirmation. He got nothing but a deep, penetrating gaze. "My intentions are nothing but good, Sir. I'm raised by a Christian family. Although I do not subscribe to my mother's religion, I know how to value those people who are by my side," he managed to say despite the lump in his throat.

"Were you expecting me to brandish my pistol in front of you?" Amy's father smirked and let out a small laugh.

Sheldon eased up a bit. He mindlessly reached for his glass and downed it like water, making him cough aggressively. It seemed like a bad idea choking up in front of Amy's dad.

"A bit… but I really don't mind. My father and brother were avid hunters; seeing a gun wouldn't be out of the ordinary, it'll just be a rare sight I have longed to see," he replied, only after coughing for a good ten seconds. Even his response was loaded with throat-clearing and gruff tone.

"Most men would pee themselves just seeing their fathers-in-law take out a gun in front of them." Amy's father handed him another glass with a clear liquid in it. "That's new," he said, sensing the confusion and slight disgust from his son-in-law.

"I've peed before you called me in. I wouldn't be expecting to relieve myself in a few hours. That is if I keep my liquid intake down to a minimum." Right then and there, Sheldon fastidiously downed the clear liquid inside the glass, hoping it was water; luckily, he was correct. _Peeing be damned._

Another cackle came from the man. "Your humor is inexplicable, young man."

It was an unexpected reaction. Unaware of what to do, he rubbed his pant-covered thighs with his hands, causing friction, and responded innocently, "Thank you. I take that as a compliment."

On the completion of his own entertainment, Mr. Fowler replied. "No wonder my daughter chose you beyond anybody else."

His statement made his heart swell. _Darn, right, she did!_ he thought with newfound hope with his father-in-law. The tension was tight a while back, good thing Amy's father broke it off. "I should hope so. Amy is a force to be reckoned with. It's a wonder how we were both so similar minded yet so contrasting in other aspects. I couldn't even find friends as comparable to her wits; she is beyond compare."

"I hope you aren't doing this for a class act. A lot of you do," Mr. Fowler insinuated with slight vexation.

"Don't you think generalizing me to men at large would mean that you, too, are comparing yourself to the mainstream?" Sheldon forgot who he was talking to when he responded. It appeared to be a slap in the face as Mr. Fowler's eyebrow raised in question. Hopefully, to soften the blow Sheldon followed, "Sir . . ."

It took a while for the old man to respond. For the time being, Sheldon thought all the ways that he could die in the hands of his father-in-law. Of course, the probability would be low, but with what he said, the possibility of dying from a gunshot wound inflicted by a Smith & Wesson handgun might skyrocket. "Your moxie, young man, is beyond me… C'mon, I'll show you something," Mr. Fowler said eagerly, no urge to shooting someone.

There were no guns or any weapons involved in the majority of the talk. Although, Mr. Fowler showed him photos of his gun safe which housed roughly three guns, and the Smith & Wesson was there, surprisingly. All had gun locks and were unloaded, with the magazines kept in an orderly manner next to it, which Sheldon found reassuring, for sure. After that, he was let off by his father-in-law. However tricky it was to have a tête-à-tête with someone superior and, maybe, stronger than he was, he found it challenging. Sure, he was still smarter and taller than Amy's father, but he seemed wiser and stronger than he was. It was also true what Amy said when they were washing the dishes: her father has a soft heart in an iron casing. Of course, Amy also likened him similar to her father but he's for sure that Amy was just joking.

They went home that night, not worried about anything. Mary's not worried that her in-laws will not look at her family, especially Sheldon, as someone who is deceitful. Amy's not worried that her parents will not pester her now that she'd already introduced Sheldon to them. Although, her mother might; she still needed to keep her guard up. And Sheldon not worried about not aggravating his in-laws. As long as he does not do anything that might put Amy in harm's way, they'll be good. With the caliber of her father's gun, he couldn't afford to get shot.

Sheldon never guessed what would happen next. He envisioned that his mother was just staying over the weekend. She arrived on Friday, forced him beyond his will to visit Amy's parents on Saturday, which he found pleasant since his mother was there to keep the conversation running without making him uncomfortable. When they arrived at Pasadena late at night, he knew the routine: he's supposed to be Amy's bedmate again.

Now a second time, there wasn't any difficulty in maintaining sleep. However, he warned Amy, and also chided himself, to halt any experiments considering that they were exhausted and what happened on Friday—cuddling each other overnight—might replicate the result of yesternight. _There will be more opportunity,_ he thought to himself as he and Amy slept their way through the night without any physical contact, except for that slight touches they unconsciously made while asleep.

Without the knowledge of Amy and Sheldon, Mary extended her stay for one more day. All they thought was Mary was going home on Sunday, but she had other plans involving her son and his wife.

She brought the couple to a nearby church and attended the 8 a.m. service, amidst protests from her son. Amy and Sheldon, but more Sheldon, were nodding heads as though he was praying but, instead, he dozed off in his seat as the sermon took place. Amy hadn't had enough power to grumble at their current situation; she'll come out as disrespectful to Mary and her beliefs.

The thoughts going on in Sheldon's mind were confounding. On one hand, Amy's presence was a lifesaver. Without her, there was no one there to lasso and entertain his mother on her visit. On the other hand, Amy's presence was the sole reason for his mother's visit. She can lie all she wants, but Sheldon knew his mother didn't come to Pasadena just as much for a 'how do you do'. No doubt there was always a catch.

When Mary went home on Monday morning, Sheldon couldn't be more elated. For one, he and Amy wouldn't be deprived of bed space. He enjoyed their time being bedmates, but let's face it, if he and Amy were to share a bed, it must be a tad larger than their current beds. And secondly, his mother wouldn't wheedle them into going to unfamiliar places or eat in exotic restaurants; his usual meals were enough, thank you very much, Mother.

But one thing he noticed when his mother went home was the absence of some company. Missing his mother's presence was inevitable, but what astounded him was that he was missing Amy. It wasn't the same as the night he laid down on his bed on that Monday night.

The scent coming from her hair crossing the boundary of his own pillow, it wasn't the same. The warmth radiating from Amy's bottom that oddly reached him, it wasn't the same. The weight of her limbs the night they cuddled and also the succeeding night that she involuntarily embraced him again; it wasn't the same.

It only took him three nights to get accustomed to her. He hoped it would be less now that he's back sleeping alone.

On the other side of the wall, uncertainty was Amy's principal companion during those nights they spent. What if she'll get attached to Sheldon being near her? What if it's harder to adjust once he'd move back to his room. One thing for sure was that she was bombarded by confusing signals. Signals from him, signals from her own. She knew Sheldon might have some questions, too; she knew she had. But during the three nights of opportunity, not one was resolved.

Monday and Tuesday went by in a whirl. The void they thought was harsh, seemed filled now, knowing that the other was just sound asleep next door. Although, Sheldon noticed that Amy was a gratified dweller in her bedroom since he had been knocking every night just to check on her when they go to bed. Nothing was lost during the weekend, it seemed.

When Wednesday rolled in, it made it easier for them to function back to the status quo. Their schedules were met at the exact minute. Sheldon's meals and its benefits were met every day, while Amy just went with whatever Sheldon's eating, if not, she would just procure what she craved. It kept her wondering if everything will change for the better, or if it will careen down a cliff like every mistake she'd made in the past.

As the day progressed, Amy seemed to get her preliminary answers. First and foremost, Sheldon drove them to work that morning, much like what he did precisely a week ago; driving appeared to be carved in his schedule after all. When lunch came, as he and their friends were huddled at the lunch table, he was waiting for her. Their friends already had their trays of food in front of them and it was just Sheldon who was being out of place. With his hunger, he joined her as they picked out food, making sure to ask every question about her preferences so he could be able to choose for her if she gets late again.

Those were just the instances that gave it away, but she couldn't just be smug about it; there were still some questions left unanswered floating around, waiting to be solved.

"Hey guys, guess what?!" Raj barged into the room where everyone was huddled in the living room, in the middle of their Wednesday dinner. Drop-dead silence welcomed Raj as he and Penny arrived. The quizzical looks on their faces were insultingly fascinating that Raj just rolled his eyes at them. Penny, at the same time, couldn't believe that her friends weren't interested enough to respond.

"For once, you could all say 'what'," he sarcastically replied.

"What?" they all responded weakly.

Raj and Penny looked at each other, excited, before he burst out, "Ready your suitcases and your sipping faces!"

"Coz' Raj paid for an all-expense-paid wine tour at Napa Valley!" she continued. Both were clapping their hands together and giving each other high fives. The others seemed to be thrilled at the treat; Sheldon, not that much, clicking his tongue and shaking his head quietly.

"But just to be clear, only the tour, and probably dinners. You guys shoulder your own accommodation, transportation, and whatever you'd like to do," he clarified, cutting the celebration short.

"But he'll book everything all at once. We'll just have to pay him afterward," Penny clarifying too.

"What's the occasion, Raj?" Bernadette asked as she watched him sit on the floor.

"Funny you asked, Bernie. I just wanted to treat you guys for some reason, and my father's rich, too," he exclaimed. "And that's the only free time Emily will have, and I wanted you to meet her. And besides, Penny and Leonard just got engaged, you and Howard recently celebrated your wedding anniversary, and Sheldon and Amy secretly got married without even informing us."

"That's why it's called a secret," Sheldon defended as he rolled his eyes.

"Our anniversary was May; it's August now," Howard pointed out in confusion.

"For the second anniversary, the gift guide is cotton. We're not touring at the cotton fields of the San Joaquin Valley but we'll get to see it on the way," explained Raj.

"Nevertheless, our good man, Shelly, and the wonderful Amy never got their own bachelor and bachelorette parties," Penny added.

"Yeah, baby . . ." Howard coyly whispered, enough to let everyone hear, and undulated his hips, suggesting something indecent, while sitting.

Sheldon had the look of utter disgust in his face. "I prefer not having a party," he announced, making everyone disheartened a bit. Even Amy; Sheldon sensed that she might be interested in going.

Howard's attempt at making a crude remark was cut off by Sheldon's reluctance. "But, it's the convention, Sheldon."

"It does not matter. The conventionality of something does imply someone's obedience to it."

"It'll be entertaining, Sheldon," Leonard urged. _It'll be entertaining, said the Lightweight Leonard._

Sheldon scoffed. "How'd you know that? What's so fun with a wine tour?"

"I think it's the wine tour that they were referring to is the train tour of the Napa Valley," Amy leaned in and whispered in his ear. Although intended for the two of them, everybody heard what she said. And everybody thought that Amy was, really, their savior.

His alarm went off. Sitting up straight and whispering back to Amy, "Train?" he said, eyes opened in anticipation and excitement in his voice.

"Specifically, a _vintage_ train," Raj said alluringly, taking advantage of Sheldon's vulnerability brought out by Amy. Everybody nodded their heads, condoning what Amy started.

"How vintage are we talking?" The excitement in his voice was so palpable that his friends were stifling a chuckle at how he was restraining himself.

"I don't know." Penny just shrugged. "But all Raj and I know are, it is vintage."

"Wait a second." He looked at Penny and Raj with doubt. Without waiting for any second, he rose up and approached his work desk, his laptop already powered on and ready for his pursuit of answers.

"What is he doing?" Bernadette whispered to Amy.

Amy had her hand on her chin, thinking about what could he be doing. "I think he's searching for the kind of train that is functioning in the tour."

"Still not gonna divorce him?" Howard butted in as he sat at the makeshift chair in a for of a box beside the sofa.

"Nope. I find this—" Amy pointed at Sheldon at work. "—charming."

"Of course you do," Bernadette said in her high-pitched voice, nudging Amy with her elbow.

"But why, though?" Howard murmured in confusion.

Before Amy could gush about why Sheldon stood up from his seat. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is an Alcoa FA4 diesel locomotive, leading a magnificently restored 1915 Pullman, first-class coaches once used for the Northern Pacific Railway and the Ski Train in Denver."

"See! It's vintage!" Raj shouted.

"Indeed, it is." Sheldon kept his hands behind his back and grinned, imagining the time he'll spend navigating through the train.

"And don't you need to wait for long! Pack your bags 'cause we're heading out on Friday!" Penny said.

From ecstatic to downcast, Sheldon's emotion quickly took the wrong turn. "Oh no…" he moaned, "not Friday." He sat back down in slow motion, blinking in contemplation.

"Why? What's wrong with Friday?" Leonard asked.

"We have to work on Friday! For you, that's no big deal, but I can't leave that," he grumbled, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Think of it as a vacation," Howard encouraged.

"And we'll just miss a day of work. We'll be back by Sunday afternoon," Bernadette added.

"But I don't miss work," he defended.

"Yes, you can. A day wouldn't hurt," Raj added.

"But—"

Penny thought of a great idea and suggested with mirth. "Sheldon, think of it as a vacation before coming back to work." Everyone agreed, nodding their heads ardently, wishing Sheldon would cave.

"But, I don't usually go on vacations."

When Amy leaned into him, everybody knew what will happen next. The words came right out of her, "I think this would be the last vacation you'd get before your teaching gig."

He straightened his back, eyes wide open again. "That's right!" He looked back at Amy. "I won't get as much time to myself once I start teaching in September," he said in realization.

"Exactly," she said in her calm voice, as though sympathizing with Sheldon.

Leonard scoffed. "Well, let's be real, you're only teaching three classes per week."

"And that's a lot of classes, Leonard." Sheldon's tone had risen.

"Alright, when do we plan?"

"How about now?"

The group started prattling on and on about how they were going to plan for the trip. The food to eat. The dresses to wear. The wine to drink. The hotel to stay in.

Despite the conversations, Sheldon was deep in his sea of thoughts. _How can I make everything efficient yet entertaining_? _Make this a memorable moment for my beloved friends._ He was a self-proclaimed travel supervisor, might as well make use of that title. With the bright idea in mind, he blurted out, "Can we take the train?"

Penny and Howard groaned, so as Bernadette, Leonard, and Raj. Although she had the urge to mimic their friends' reaction, Amy felt how Sheldon was feeling when she was still out of the picture. Maybe that was the reason why Sheldon was always too clingy to her whenever they had their group gatherings. Maybe that was the reason she always felt a slight nudge on her arm whenever a specific reaction was made by their friends. Maybe that was the reason for the slight murk in his eyes, in the morning, when they were about to start the day, especially when it's a workday. Amy pieced it together, and having the knowledge of that, she knew what she will be expecting in the future.

"Sheldon, we'll have the tour on a train; that would suffice. Besides, it'll take us eleven hours if we go by train," Leonard explained, urging Sheldon that it wasn't a bright idea.

"We can drive . . ." Howard then suggested.

Still reluctant, Sheldon insisted, "But what if all of you are too hungover to drive on Sunday?" The very thought of it haunted him. He'll be the only one left sober, which meant that he'll be obliged to drive. Not that he doesn't trust that Amy will not drink to the point of passing out, but there's a higher chance that she will drink, and he feared there'll be no one on his side that day.

"We wouldn't have the energy to drive," Bernadette agreed, clicking her tongue.

"The train's still open . . ." Sheldon bit his lip in anticipation. Sure everybody would agree; it's not always that they get to ride trains.

"There's always the plane," Howard implied, as though Sheldon's recent suggestion was rendered unheard.

"Sheldon doesn't want to ride the plane."

"Why not?" Penny sought out in frustration, almost pleading out of Sheldon's way.

"Because if trains go by that route, we can always ride them." He laid his hand out, as though presenting something from the side. That garnered another chorus of sighs and grumbles.

"Okay, let's settle this." Raj put down his plate and wiped his mouth. "There is a hundred and one percent that we'll drive on the way. We can rent a minivan or something. And if all of us got hungover from all the wine tasting, we can then book a flight."

Sheldon scrunched his nose in disgust. "Driving north to the Bay Area? I don't think that sounds so good."

"It will be, Sheldon," Amy appeased.

"How about this? We'll consider the train." Penny laid out a reasonable choice but that doesn't mean that it will be the final approach.

With eyes as bright as day and smile as wide as his face, he announced all giddy, "We'll ride the train?"

"Just considering . . . no promises," Leonard quickly clarified. If he didn't, Sheldon would assume the worst.

"It'll take that rather than a no." He clapped his hands and started typing on his laptop. On why he's doing that, they really couldn't tell.

"Okay, that's settled."

"We're going to Napa Valley!"


	10. One if by Land, Two if by Sea

"Here's the plan for tomorrow . . ." Everybody was gathered around the living room as Sheldon stood with a screen he set up as they were finishing Thursday night's dinner.

"Koothrappali booked a 12-seater Ford Transit Wagon ready for pick up tomorrow morning. Enterprise agreed to remove the third-row seats to accommodate legroom for the last row, leaving us with nine seats, including the driver and passenger seats," he began, using a laser pointer to show everyone the type of car that they'll be using. Not that everybody knew already; Raj approached everyone and had them vote for the car to use, which came to the Wagon as the victor. "It'll take us roughly 6 hours and 35 minutes, give or take 45 minutes for the apparent traffic and the stopovers that we'll be having, to arrive at the hotel that Raj booked at Napa."

Everybody was all ears. It was a rare sight to behold. Most of the time, whenever Sheldon had something presented in a PowerPoint presentation, it's usually some nonsense they wouldn't care for. But he made a rather reasonable presentation that caught everyone's attention. He made sure everyone was in attendance, however, he couldn't get Raj's girlfriend present because, according to Raj, she just finished a 26-hour shift at 4 p.m. and didn't care for a meeting, considering how lethargic she was. Well, he couldn't control everything, anyway.

"We will be meeting here and depart at exactly 7:15 in the morning. Leonard and Howard will pick up the car and I'm expecting all of you to be here by 6:45. That gives us thirty minutes to do whatever we want—breakfast, coffee, chitchat—whatever floats your boat. But I am expecting all of you to void your bladder or limit your liquid intake by forty percent before we leave as our next stopover will be at Bowerbank, one hour and fifty-six minutes away."

"Please don't tell me I'm the only one driving," Leonard moaned, pleading that he be spared of seven hours of driving.

"Excellent question, Leonard." He beamed at Leonard's initiative. "Considering that the journey will take us 6 hours and 35 minutes, plus the 45 minutes—that's 7 hours and 20 minutes in total—I've divided your driving duties. Since there will be seven of you driving, I've given each and every one of you 1 hour and 2.85 minutes—let's round it up to 3—to drive in turns," he explained.

"Here are the duties . . ." The slide changed to the next one. Each name was displayed in an order the Sheldon devised. It showed Leonard to be driving first, followed by Penny, Howard, Bernadette, Emily, Raj, and lastly, it was Amy. The list garnered mixed reactions from everyone: some were indifferent, especially those who were assigned in the middle of the day; some (Penny) had a face of contempt for having to drive too early.

"How about you? You have your license, right?" Howard implied, slightly annoyed that Sheldon decided to exclude himself from driving.

"Doesn't matter. I don't want to drive tomorrow. I already planned for the journey; I don't need to be responsible again."

"I wanna bash his head against the wall, but Raj is treating us so I'll just smile and drive tomorrow," Howard muttered through gritted teeth to his wife, feigning a smile towards Sheldon, before pretending to punch him as he turned his back.

* * *

"Come on! We're already behind schedule!" Sheldon shouted from the inside of the van. The door was slid open, and Penny was standing right beside it, waiting for the arrival of their lone member.

They were at their first stop—Bowerbank, just outside Bakersfield—and not even two hours into the trip and someone decided to hijack their schedule.

"Howard's still getting his latte," Penny responded, shielding her eyes from the morning sun, also a bit irritated from the constant retribution from Sheldon and Howard's tardiness. Good thing she had her morning coffee, or else, she'd leave Howard and Sheldon to fend for themselves at the California desert.

Noticing the tension, Leonard leaned into Penny and muttered, "Text him to hurry up. We don't want to agitate him," pertaining to the already scowling Sheldon. Behind Sheldon, Amy didn't seem to mind her husband's dilemma, nor the fact that they were running late; she was just occupied with reading her book.

A wail could be heard from the inside. "I can't believe we're two minutes late," said Sheldon, dismissing the fact that Bernadette, Emily, and Raj were nestled in the back seat, sleeping, and his wife seemed to not care.

"Relax. Look, look! Howard's already done!" Penny pointed at the figure approaching them. Howard had his hand, carrying a paper bag with the subtle green logo, shielding his face from the apparent glare, and the other was clutching onto a square, cardboard drink carrier with four tall cups on it.

"Sorry, Bernie's order was a mouthful; I had to explain it to them." he apologized, getting aboard the van and waking up the three.

Sheldon just sighed and rolled his eyes. It'll be 2 hours and 45 minutes until their next stop. Good thing was, despite being a nuisance when they arrive at their first stop, he urged everybody to use the bathroom while they were at a stop.

He researched the area thoroughly; there were twelve restaurants, three markets, three inns and motels, six gas stations, and two ATM machines within the fifty-meter radius. For Sheldon, that would suffice for what he needed. For the others, it was more than what they needed because what they needed was a cup of coffee that they missed at Sheldon's apartment.

The van roared to life once more. It was still Penny's turn to drive, with only a few more minutes left before she will be replaced by Howard and Bernadette. Sheldon brought a digital kitchen timer with him and clipped at the empty seat belt beside him. He also made sure that everyone will get their fair share of driving time.

Coincidental or not, Sheldon had the whole second row of three seats for just him, Amy, and a few of their belongings. Whomever pair was driving for two hours would be at the driver and passenger seats. It's such luck that he assigned Amy to be the last one to drive, giving them roughly six hours of sitting beside each other.

He knew his friends were suspicious. With only two rows of backseat left, and the middle row removed, sure he would favor the last row for thrice as much leg room he had sitting at his preferred seat. Being a tall fellow, a seat with more legroom was quite enticing, but what was more enticing and, frankly, more alluring was having some privacy.

Amy was dozing on and off beside him, as the van smoothly traversed through the highway. His friends behind were slowly being woken up by the boost of caffeine and food Howard bought when they stopped. Sheldon didn't know why they were in dire need for coffee when all he emphasized in yesterday's meeting was that he'll be able to serve coffee from his apartment. Looks like no one approached the coffee maker, except for Amy, who seemed to not consume the adequate amount of coffee.

They continued on their journey. There were fields of green that stretched across the horizon, but the majority of their trip, they were greeted by vast areas of the desert beyond the fields of green. A few rock formations blending in the aridity of the desert was also a sight to behold. The noticeable chime of the timer went off, and Penny knew that it was time. She maneuvered the car to the side of the road, and she and Leonard vacated the seats in front, followed by Howard and Bernadette also vacating their seats at the back and replacing the designated drivers. That went on for another two hours, having to stop once for Howard to replace Bernadette.

What Sheldon liked most about the first two hours of the trip was the silence. Maybe it was from his friends' lack of sleep, or maybe from their obedience to his pleas to keep the chattering down for the whole trip, but they kept it down to a minimum.

Though, that didn't last very long. A few minutes once Leonard and Penny moved into the backseat, Amy completely woke up from her brief slumber. And so, the numbing chatter began.

It all started when Penny asked these questions both to Emily and Amy, who were new to the group. It was revealed that Emily and Amy both went to Harvard. Both were hardcore fans of Chaucer and his works. Both were avid crochet enthusiasts, even showing photos of their works to each other. Both were, coincidentally, at the same university—John Hopkins University, Amy dividing her time at the medical school and the university proper, while Emily doing some work before proceeding to her residency—in the fall of 2012. At one point, while the car was slowing down for an intersection, Amy unbuckled her seatbelt and transferred from her serene window seat to the seat closest to the door.

While she did that, Sheldon had a look of concern and confusion etched on his face. Amy scooted her way at the tight space in front of him, clutching his knee to maintain her balance. She gazed at him as she sat down, accompanying a smile that spoke multitudes. She thought it was just an ordinary smile to offer to Sheldon who, not once, didn't break down since the beginning. He thought it was a smile of gratitude. He was clueless as to why she would be grateful to him, but as she had her head turned around to speak with Penny and Emily at the back, her hand had a soft grip on his knee, almost saying to him that she never forgot his presence.

The saga reigned until Raj and Emily had to replace Howard and Bernadette. Until then, almost five hours into the trip now, they still weren't in their second stop.

He never witnessed this side to Amy: quite outgoing and effusive, but with wits. The first few meetings she had with his friends were established around getting to know each other, which, in and by itself, was a rather rigid and unyielding experience, considering that they were still mere acquaintances. Sheldon concluded that, indeed, there were meetings and conversations between Amy and his friends in which he wasn't present that led to these well-heeled conversations.

Sheldon thought of the things he'd heard so far. There were mentions of Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales, all the kinds of pinot (which he couldn't really comprehend), bear claw (the pastry and its namesake from the carnivorous mammal), the American school system, the American Eagle (that, too, was confusing). Even he was dragged into the conversation when Leonard and Raj started talking about the American Revolution, which he deemed as a reasonable subject to talk about.

Not long after the powerful oration of Paul Revere's Ride, with the infamous _"one if by land, two if by sea"_ dramatically delivered with robust hand gestures and telling facial expressions, they've arrived at their second stop—Patterson—just outside of Modesto.

Everyone began to leave the van for their individual agenda. Amy volunteered to grab lunch for all of them since it was nearing noon already. Sheldon tagged along because he couldn't be anywhere except where Amy was. Leonard decided to help with them, too. Howard was handed Raj's credit card to fill up gas, as they were running low. The rest just stretched their numb arms and legs caused by the slightly cramped area of the vehicle.

With no intention of eating at the restaurant, Amy, Leonard, and Sheldon returned with paper bags filled with submarine sandwiches and salads. Not wanting to exert more effort on eating food that required more utensils than what their situation granted, everyone seemed to agree that hulking sandwiches from Subway were the way to go. They didn't stay long, taking off once everyone was settled in their respective seats.

The vehicle fell silent. Each and everyone was occupied with their lunch. With Howard behind the wheel, he opted to wait 45 minutes before his wife takes over, to enjoy his lunch; with that, Bernadette will already be fed.

Amy returned back to her place by the window; Sheldon still undeterred from his spot the moment they left Pasadena. Her conversation with everyone was profound, having to be confined in an intimate space for a total of five hours was rather prolific than she thought of. Of course, Sheldon only joined in for probably an hour to discuss the American Revolutionary War, but in terms of the extent of his participation, that's about it.

She noticed him sat with his back straight, supported by the equally upright seat. He'd eaten half his sandwich and had since kept the other half back in the bag. Maybe he was still full of whatever he'd eaten while she was still asleep; probably some sort of pastry, considering that there was a Starbucks paper bag lying limply at the elevated area in front of them. Sheldon had his headphones on, connected to his phone, as he stared seriously ahead. His head was not bobbing, so probably it wasn't any music; probably an audiobook, or a lecture, or a podcast.

Amy mimicked what he did, gently keeping the other half of her sandwich and putting it inside the bag where he also kept his. She tapped her fingers on her thigh, sensing her surroundings despite her listening with her earphones on—it wasn't noise-canceling, which she mostly preferred. Leaning back on the cushioned headrest, she let her eyes fall and rest, succumbing to yet another sleep. It'll be another hour and a half until her driving shift; catching a wink wouldn't hurt.

* * *

Raj carefully swerved toward the side of the road, shifting the gear to park once there. With Emily on his side, also done with driving shift, he was expecting the next person to drive to be shuffling in the backseat, preparing for their turn. He wrapped his hand around the passenger side headrest, using it as a leverage to see the carrying-on behind. What greeted him was four people huddle inside a massive blanket as they snoozed at the very back. It seemed that Sheldon was the only one awake but his eyes were all droopy and constantly closing every second, while Amy, who was supposed to drive next, had her head on Sheldon's left shoulder and her hands holding his arm, as she overslept her duty.

The timer went off, but that didn't seem to wake anybody. Sheldon regained his composure once he heard the noise.

"Sheldon, It's Amy's turn . . ." Raj whispered at the dazed Sheldon.

Emotionless, he looked down at the woman in question, firmly attached to him as her head nuzzled almost to his neck. "She's still sleeping," said Sheldon, blinking lazily and rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand.

"You drive then," Raj snarked as he and Emily unbuckled their seat belts.

Sheldon vacillated between waking her up or pleading one of them just to continue the drive. She seemed very pleased with her situation, and he'd rather have someone be angry at him rather than Amy being angry at him. He started by moving his shoulder slightly toward him. Undeterred by his small movements, Amy curled up to him even further, keeping his left arm captive and nuzzling her head deep into his neck, rendering half of his body paralyzed and his neck moist.

The door was glided open, producing a soft noise that didn't have enough sound to rouse everyone from their sleep. Sheldon narrowed his eyes at the light coming from outside, hours of enclosure in a decently tinted van didn't aid to his adjustment to light. Raj stood there with his hands on his waist as Emilly was behind him, enveloped by a blanket.

"Sheldon . . ." Raj announced resolutely.

"I'm sorry, Raj. I'm a prisoner." He peeked at his situation, wishing Raj would witness his predicament.

"Just nudge her a little bit, will you?"

Surrendering, Sheldon groaned. "Amy," he whispered on top of her head. With his free hand, he gave her cheek a light caress to wake her up. "It's your turn," he said once he felt a little movement from her.

Her head shot up from her position. Her glasses were missing. Her hair was awry. Her eyes were bloodshot and relatively asymmetrical. Her face was etched with confusion and horror. Amy quickly grabbed her glasses from the pocket of her cardigan, looked at her husband, and unbuckled her oddly long seat belt that managed to lengthen when she occupied Sheldon's space, at a lightning speed and darted outside. Sheldon followed, only stopping her when she grabbed the latch for the driver's door.

Sheldon held her arm and asked in confusion, "Hey, wait, what are you doing?"

"It's my turn," Amy reasoned out, still holding on to the latch.

Sheldon shook his head. "No, no, no. Granted that you just woke up from a rather deep sleep, you shouldn't be driving right away."

"Why not?"

"Any time, Your Highness," someone shouted from the inside, muffled with all the doors closed.

"Come on, Amy. I'll just drive for 10 minutes and then we can switch afterward. It'll give you time to rouse from the after-effects of sleep." Sheldon patted her on the arm and snatched the latch from her hand, positioning himself on the driver seat, adjust everything that needed adjustment.

Amy sighed and glared at him, but she couldn't be furious all the way; Sheldon had a valid point. She went on the other side, remembering not to fall asleep again and, instead, take advantage of the 10 minutes Sheldon had given her.


	11. Chicken and Wine

The ambiance was superbly homey. The place was well-lit from the natural light, making it appear so luxurious. Considering that it was one of the restaurants that claimed to serve the best fried chicken in Napa Valley, it really should be.

Raj informed them beforehand to be equipped with decent clothes, which, in Sheldon's dictionary, was something that isn't his superhero clothes. It was meeting Amy's parents all over again. To make matters worse, Raj demanded they bring two sets—one _so-so_ and one fancier than the other. What's a so-so attire? It stirred confusion as to how they were going to approach the terminology, but the girls seemed excited that they get to dress up and paint their faces and disregarded the word.

They were gladly seated by the maître d' at a table long enough to accommodate 8 people. Raj told them to wear their "so-so" clothes, which they did. Turned out, his understanding of "so-so" was something in the smart casual department, as what every customer had worn in the place.

The girls donned dresses that brought awe in their men's eyes. Emily wore a royal blue sheath dress. Penny wore a black, bodycon dress that contoured her body. Bernadette wore a red wraparound floral dress with ruffles that ran down her sternum. Amy wore the wide-collared, pastel pink dress that she initially bought for the wedding, but opted against it. Of course, she had to partner it with a thin cardigan to battle the chill and also to maintain her decency.

Meanwhile, the boys sported their own interpretations of so-so. Howard wore a maroon sport coat over a long-sleeved, black turtleneck, partnered with his tight-fitting jeans. Leonard wore his usual: a tad oversized, dark grey blazer with a striped button-down shirt, pants enough to fit two legs in one hole, and his dress shoes he rarely uses. Raj wore a v-neck, red and black buffalo plaid sweater vest, with a white dress shirt underneath, overlaying himself with a dark brown sport coat with elbow patches. Sheldon wore a plain, black sweater over a white button-down long-sleeved shirt. The sweater was in his possession for quite some time now, and it was still loose when last he wore it (summer of 2008). Now, with all the weight he's been gaining for the past years, the clothing seemed to be attached to his body perfectly.

However, it wasn't as easy as dressing up for dinner and driving there.

They arrived at the Westin 40 minutes past 2 p.m. The excitement was evident as they entered the lobby of the hotel. Everybody was spent after driving for 7 hours and the interior that the hotel offered was enough to alleviate the soreness of their buttocks from sitting. The 4-story hotel was situated in a slight uphill place near downtown Napa. The pool was enticing, surrounded by three interconnected buildings, with sunbathing chairs, cantilever umbrellas, and shrubberies to accentuate the area. The whole property lay along the course of the Napa River, meandering through the Oxbow Preserve, which produced a subtle, continuous sound coming from the natural flow of the water.

Despite the alluring and comfortable ambiance of the place, Sheldon didn't like what happened next. When Raj returned from talking at the front desk, he announced that the four rooms were all ready for occupancy. They followed the bellboy as he navigated through the halls of the hotel, ultimately leading them to the third floor for their rooms. It didn't quite register to Sheldon about the previous statement from Raj, so when he saw the room and the conditions, it shocked him. Raj said four rooms, one room for each couple. He thought maybe he and Amy would be sharing a room with two separate beds and adequate spacing between the mattress. But boy, oh, boy, he was more than wrong.

What welcomed them was the presence of one king-sized bed. He was the last one to occupy the room, Amy being there already because he had to tip the bellboy and drag his and Amy's luggage. And it with that, the reaction was delayed as well.

"Why only a king-size?!" Sheldon bellowed from the entryway of the room. With their rooms just beside each other's, his friends managed to hear the complaint and look out for the source of the sound.

"Why not?" Penny peeked at their door, intrigued. She saw Amy already sitting at the foot of the bed, crossed legs while swaying, and switching channels like nothing happened.

He looked back in surprise. "I . . . ahh . . ." Sheldon was stumped, pursing his lips as he thought of an answer. Penny waited with her eyebrows up, as almost everyone was sneaking behind her to know what was happening. A slight chuckle came from her that made others do too.

"Nothing . . ." Sheldon quickly turned his whole body toward the door and walked over to the direction of the tattletales, making them retreat back outside. With all of them in the hallway, he closed the door with all his remaining strength, dropping his head down and sighed.

He returned to Amy, with bags in hand, and dropped them carefully to the floor. "Do you approve of this, Amy?"

She sensed the frustration but she knew she was above that, she just continued watching. "I don't have any say, do I?"

"Of course, you don't," Sheldon said, exasperated, as he slumped down on the bed. He was only a foot away from Amy and yet she can sense all the pent-up tension from the 7-hour travel and the realization that they will be sharing a bed.

Unlike any other person, Amy had the patience to understand him however difficult it could be. "Sheldon, be nice," she ordered, patting him in the leg. See, she did so with the right amount of understanding and, of course, just a hint of impatience rooted from the 7-hour drive.

Sheldon threw his hand in exhaustion. With the look of disbelief, he lamented, "How can I be nice? Raj didn't even ask me if I was fine with sharing a bed with you." The tone was rising but that didn't concern Amy.

She just shrugged and said, "Neither did I, but as I said, I really don't have any say to his decision."

Amy's nonchalance was bringing discomfort to his rather uncomfortable disposition.

Sheldon stood up in haste and examined the room. It was pretty straight-forward. As you enter, there was a short hallway leading to the entirety of the room. Along the hallway was the entrance to the bathroom, which he only assumed since there were no other doors present. You can already view the massive bed as you enter so it's not really that long of a hallway. Modern looking lamp shades interposed both sides of the mattress. Fronting the bed was a wall-mounted television for entertainment. A long counter below the TV provided a home for the telephone, the hotel menu, an electric tea kettle, two overturned coffee cups, and an opened tea box with assortments of teabags, coffee packets, and sugar packets. A mini-fridge was sheltered in the space made for it underneath the counter. Light was penetrating from the decently-sized windows, faintly scintillating from the neatly swept aside curtains. A few feet right beside the bed was a glass door leading to the balcony where a dining set for 2 awaited.

So far, that was what he saw in their bedroom, and the absence of certain furniture was disheartening.

"Not even a couch!" he wailed in remorse, whisking his hand to the nonexistent furniture. It's rare to grief the inexistence of a couch but he did anyway.

"This is a pretty massive bed. I'm sure we can make use of its size," she assured with no intention of any coded messages.

"For sleeping! We'll use it for sleeping, of course," Sheldon quickly cleared out.

"And this is not the first time that you and I will be sharing a bed. Remember, we slept beside each other for 3 nights straight." This time, Amy turned off the TV and proceeded to arrange her bags. "And my bed back home is a much smaller bed. We'll have more room in here."

Sheldon just stood there, watching, as she unpacked her belongings. She hung the 2 dresses she brought, quite certain that the hotel room has a steamer that she could use later on. She then pulled out the shoes she will be wearing at the dinner and place it conspicuously beside the closet. Once finished, Amy yawned and stretched her arms upwards, containing a muffled moan as she did so and contorted her body. It surely did pique Sheldon's interest, but he knew better not to discuss it; it's a story for another time.

She went straight to the bed and lay down to the closest side. "I'm going to sleep for an hour. We'll have that dinner later; better rest so you won't be fussy," she encouraged, turning her back to him.

It took a few seconds for Sheldon to respond, but when he did, he did so in a whisper but irritated manner. "I'm not fussy!"

Two hours after their tiny spat (or Sheldon's fuss), they were on their way to dinner. The restaurant claimed to serve the best buttermilk fried chicken in town and, Raj booked a reservation—similar to what he did for the ensuing meals in other restaurants—to ensure that they get the best seat in the house.

Food was served just right on time and before they know it, everyone just dug in like feral animals. Sheldon couldn't fathom the taste of his fried chicken, oozing with juices and grease, but he also didn't want to crown it as the best. _What would Mom say?_ It's deliciously made but not as sinful and delightful as the southern fried chicken he grew up to love. His mother's fried chicken was the best; always will, always does. However, everyone thought otherwise.

Groans and mouthing of lascivious words were blurted out. Even he suppressed himself to react in such a scandalous way. The food had that quality to it that would make everyone weep and salivate. When he looked at his wife, she seemed engrossed in devouring her share of the bird. She doesn't even care about the makeup, especially the lipstick, she applied meticulously for about 45 minutes. It's not only the fried chicken that brought everyone on their knees. The restaurant served a 4-course meal that pacified their craving for good food. There was a serving of balsamic frisée salad, artichoke and spinach dip with Dungeness crab meat, and that mouth-watering chocolate cake with chocolate chip ice cream. He doesn't really care if the cake was flourless, that desert sure earned a spot in his heart.

Accompanying their dinner were 2 bottles of Tempranillo, locally made in Napa Valley. Of course, there was always the designated driver and Leonard drew the short stick, so he only got to taste a little bit and was prohibited to drink more. Amy had a nice glass to herself, as with everybody else, disregarding the fact that she was still a novice when it comes to tolerating alcohol.

Just looking at them savoring their fried chicken, partnered with that combination of earthy and fruity glass of wine, it was cunningly tempting. Sheldon licked his lips as he saw that puddle of liquid on his wife's ruby lips. She must have worn a waterproof lipstick because it never faded despite all the munching she's been doing. _Oh, how good would that taste_ , he eyed her and the glass like a ferocious animal. The solution was fairly simple. When everyone was busy with their own conversation, Sheldon took a peek at Amy who was still holding her glass and joining the conversation. With nonchalance, he took the glass from her hand, holding it by the stem and took a swig. Amy thought it was his way to tell her that she's had enough so she just continued discussing. He quickly noticed how pleasant and smooth the sip was and how it seemed like an appropriate pair to his fried chicken. Like nothing happened, he returned the glass to her hand and diverted his attention back to his fried chicken.

"That's yummy," he whispered to Amy, chuckling. He hunched back and using his bare hands, he took a huge bite off his chicken.

She narrowed her eyes and stared at her husband in utter disbelief. "Are you drunk," whispered Amy. She stared at her wine glass, and her once half-filled glass can barely make it to two sips. Sheldon just looked back at her in derision. "No," he replied, scoffed, and went back to his food eagerly.

After his first guzzle, he felt like he'd lost control. _It's so delicious—both the wine and the fried chicken!_ He took another sip, and then another one until he licked every chocolate left from his desert.

When he gestured to reach for another drink from Amy's glass, she instantly grabbed it away from him.

"Hey!" He frowned, pouting his lips and furrowing his forehead. Everyone looked at both of them in his outburst. Amy apologetically smiled and mouthed " _sorry"._ Luckily, their friends returned to their discussion.

"Why are you drinking? You don't drink," she chided through gritted teeth. However serious she was, it seemed like Sheldon didn't take her seriously.

Sheldon's lower lip quivered as he sulked. "But it's just so yummy," he said with a slur that he was trying to fight.

Amy grumbled, leading the glass away from his grasp, "It's the pants-dropping once again."

"How'd you know about that?" That was his secret! And also to 23,732 people who viewed his video and even dropped likes. He'd reported it a hundred times but Howard seemed to get his way this time.

"Penny told me . . . and showed me the video," Amy admitted as she suppressed a laugh but got serious for the next part of her rebuke. "You were not yourself when you did that speech, you know?"

"It's because she let me guzzle the half bottle of wine in just 2 minutes," he defended but a hint of guilt was present.

"In which you did . . ." Amy raised her eyebrows, nodding her head, encouraging Sheldon to confess.

He sighed and held his head down. "In which I did."

The reaction was hilarious but chuckling or making fun out of it would seem to urge him to have another drink from her glass. Not that she's an expert on not getting drunk so easily, but she had days of girls night to attend to that required the participation in wine drinking. The trick was to drink in sips and filling herself with food to slow the metabolism of alcohol. The first few days were a blur, simply because she gets tipsy just finishing off one glass. She built her tolerance from there, and although Amy's not as tenacious as the likes of Penny and Bernadette, she sure was able to keep her tolerance to two glasses of wine.

When they arrived back at the hotel, Sheldon's feeling a bit weird. Even though the quantity of wine he drank would just amount to a half-filled wine glass, he was already feeling the effects. However hard he tried, by the time they were out of the elevator, his vision swirled a bit, making him leaned his hand on the wall for support.

 _So much so for a man who can handle his drinks,_ Amy thought as she witnessed Sheldon lean his hand to the wall. She closely safeguarded him as they were walking down the hallway with their friends. He even reasoned that he got dizzy on the elevator, which seemed like a fib but who knows how drunk he was.

Amy swiped in their key card and went inside their room. When they reached inside, Sheldon immediately proceeded to the bed and plopped down despite the darkness. Amy inserted the keycard on the slot, illuminating the room similar to when they left it.

She regarded Sheldon as he perched on the bed. His shoes and sweater were off, leaving him with his black socks and an untucked button-down shirt. "Are you okay?" she asked, removing her cardigan and shoes.

"Am I okay?" he returned the question, pondering for a while as he puffed his chest. "I think so . . ." There was a slight questioning as to how he's really feeling but it faded quickly, only to be replaced by utter certainty. "Ah, yes! Never been better, alligator!"

"You're drunk," Amy nonchalantly said, standing with her legs apart and hands on her hips.

"Hah! So are you!" he bellowed, pointing his finger at Amy.

"I only had one glass," she explained.

"I had half a glass! You lose, Amy!" Sheldon started chuckling like a little girl, hitting his thigh in enjoyment. Amy never expected to see this alter ego of Sheldon too early into their marriage, and even too early into their relationship. He was more carefree, unstable in his footing, and a bit of a slur in his talking, crystal clear signs of inebriation. However, his thoughts were coherent, but his attitude seemed to alter. It was a first but who knows what he'll do next.

"But you're alcohol tolerance is lower than mine." Still, the sternness was present in her voice but that didn't seem to influence Sheldon to behave himself.

Undeterred, his alcohol-induced crimson face lit up, engendering his face to turn redder. "Let's do an experiment!" he yelled, jumping up on his feet. "Ask me a question! Come on, don't be scared. I can answer anything!" He was pushed back down, generating a slight thud as his butt hit the mattress

"No, no, no . . . we need to rest. The call time for tomorrow's train tour is 9:30. We need to wake up early, remember?" Amy held him by his shoulders, trying to secure him into his seat.

He hunched at the harsh reality he was about to face. He knew he still had a lot in him and he needed to drain all of his energy to be able to sleep. "Can I kiss you, though?"

Stunned, Amy looked at him hesitantly. "A kiss? What is happening here?" she said incredulously, still pushing him down to his seat as he tried to get up again.

"Aren't we supposed to give each other a goodnight kiss?" he said sarcastically, raising his eyebrows in anticipation. It was as if the good night kiss was a requirement that Amy didn't quite adhere to. And, by the expression on his face, the good night kiss was an obligation one ought not to disobey, as Sheldon Cooper will more likely to have a fit.

She was caught off guard, drawing her head back and looking around in confusion. "We do?"

Sheldon rivaled her confusion. _Why wouldn't Amy want that?_ "Yes, of course! You said it yourself when we shared a bed together. Why else would I kiss you if I don't like it?" Despite his drunken acts minutes ago, complete with slightly impaired coordination and slurred speech, what he said, by far, was the soberest statement of the night. His inebriation might account for an expert drinker drinking 5 shots of spirits in under an hour, so his capability of saying those words was a mystery to Amy.

"Y-You do like kissing me?" she stammered. One might say that the conversation between them was awkward; it slightly was, but Amy's hold on his shoulder tightened. She thought back to it, and it might have sent Sheldon mixed messages, considering the way she squeezed his shoulder might be a sign of nervousness on what's about to happen or just an indication that she doesn't want to kiss him.

"Yes . . ." Sheldon softened as he said it but quickly shifted persona. "And especially when I can taste wine from your supple ruby lips." He giggled shortly and raised his eyebrows up and down, indicative of his goofiness. Without any hesitation, he called, " _Come 're, you._ "

Sheldon clutched her gently by her waist. Fortunately, the distance between them was reasonable, considering that Amy's been holding on to his shoulders for a while now, that drawing Amy nearer was a prosperous task. With the distance shrinking, he sat up straighter and held her cheek, initiating a slight jolt from Amy. She wasn't expecting this kind of reaction. First, Sheldon trying his hand at drinking, and now this?

With one swoop, Sheldon's lips landed on hers. It was surreal as it can be, tender at the first touch. They didn't seem to struggle with their position; Sheldon tilted his head up as Amy gradually followed his angle. Her hold on his shoulders was tight, making her hands the only reason why the gap between them hasn't filled.

Sheldon snaked his left arm on her waist, contouring the curvature of her spine. Amy melted at the touch, with her cardigan off and only left with her dress, she can feel the warmth and softness of her touch, sending chills up to her neck. Her guarded hold on his shoulders softened as she mindlessly wrapped her hands around Sheldon's neck. The kiss never escalated; it never became voyeuristic. It was pure and gentle and, oddly, emotional.

The sensations were inexplicable. Sheldon never dared to invade Amy's mouth with his deft tongue, nor dared to use one of those techniques he was informed was from the French people. Although, what he did would top all of those techniques. He kissed her lightly, and then again, and then again, once trapping her bottom lip between his and, shocking him, Amy retaliated to his own kisses, too. His hold of her never tighten. It never became too aggressive. He can feel the friction as he caressed her cloth-covered lower back, sending galvanizing current through his fingertips. With his state of mind, he thought, all things were possible—good or bad—and nothing and no one can stop him. He seemed energized by all the explorations that stopping would be a futile attempt. He felt so powerful yet so uncoordinated with his mind and heart.

As one might expect, their clothes were off and they writhe in pleasure as they became one. But he wasn't that kind of man. Sheldon slowly pulled away from the kiss. Shocked that he initiated the kiss and, subsequently, broke it off, he gazed at Amy's closed eyes and kept hair. He thought he felt his hands explored Amy's hair, but he was wrong; the duration of their kiss, all he did to her shoulder-length hair was tuck it behind her ears as it flopped down to him. Subconsciously, he did it again, and again, until the portrait in front of him felt like a masterpiece that yet to be completed.

Amy opened her eyes gently, witnessing Sheldon with his lips slightly separated and, still, flushed face. She felt his nape, and based on what she could feel, she did a nasty thing on his hair. She remembered Sheldon carefully combed his hair and applied wax on it on all sides. And now, the hair above his neck had gone awry, and her hands were now tacky with all the wax residue. To break off the intensity of his stare, she slid down her hands back on his shoulders and stepped back once, mindful about the grip Sheldon still had on her hips. She was surprised when a smile formed on his face—the one where only a sliver of his upper teeth was visible and his eyes somewhat narrowed horizontal, making the lines on his face visible. All in all, it was a silly yet sympathetic smile she only witnessed at that very moment.

"Are you sure you only had one glass?" The smile never faltered, even wider smile as all of his teeth were in sight, and neither were his caresses on her hips.

It was a rather odd question, considering that their conversation about drinking was approximately 10 minutes ago. _10 minutes ago? That long?_ Amy cleared her throat and stammered, "Y-Yes." She managed to answer him, though not as loud and clear as she would before Sheldon sucked all her oxygen out.

"It seems like I got more inebriated just by kissing you," he confessed. Clearly, not a sober man's line, although that tugged on something in her chest.

She started, "W-We better settle for the night . . ." Sheldon's expression shifted. ". . .to sleep . . ." Amy raised her eyebrows—a warning sign of some sorts—as she lightly stepped back, her hands on his chest.

Sheldon stood up like nothing happened. "Can I go to the bathroom first?"

"Sure, but be quick, my bladder's feeling the effects of drinking and eating."

Sheldon smiled. "Okay. I'll just pee . . ." He moved toward the bathroom, disappearing on the door and appearing out again to say, " . . . and maybe vomit too!"


	12. Phony Fortunato's Misfortune

"I must say, Amy, pretending to be a wine connoisseur had given me a great deal of satisfaction." Sheldon shivered in excitement as he recounted their first winery of the day. They were back at the train, awaiting the main course of the noon. And not long after they arrived back to their seats, a plate of grilled beef tenderloin was placed in front of him and Amy had a pick of mustard cider glazed salmon for lunch.

Sharing with their table are Leonard and Penny, who seemed to enjoy their time at the winery, too, especially with all the drinks they got to taste, it was a joyous experience so far.

"I told you, right? This trip is exciting as it can be," Amy answered, assuring Sheldon that everything will go smoothly once they just enjoy.

Amy remembered that look on his face once they first stepped inside the train. He lit up like a child, excited as he took in the interior of the railcar. His jaw dropped and there was an incessant muttering of " _Wow!"_ as they boarded the train. The plush velvet curtains, draping along the windows offering the scenic view of the rows lush vineyards. The sunlight filtered through the windows, just the right amount for the day. Their first railcar was filled with two rows of single-seater sofas that faced the windows. When they sat down, a foot length of naturally asymmetric, lacquered mahogany slab protruded below the windows, making it an ideal table for their first meal of the day, brunch.

Now on their second meal of the day, they were placed on the next railcar, as elegant as the first one, with 4 seater tables outlining the aisle for the servers to come in. Each table was nestled in every window, allowing each passenger to revel in the scenery of the Napa Valley while enjoying their food.

"Granted that I knew beforehand every fact there is to know about Penny's ol' friend, even seeing its origin and the history of it was a stellar experience," Sheldon confessed to Amy in a whisper, although, Penny had heard the conversation but decided to let it pass.

"And you got to taste test all those kinds of wine."

"Exactly! However, the liquor only lingered in my mouth, not enough to reach into my digestive system and absorbed into my bloodstream," he bragged. They got to taste test at least 5 varieties of wine, none of them he chugged like he did last night. His trick was to say beforehand that he wasn't interested in participating in the tasting. The staff didn't provide him his own glass but he got to see all of the people tasting and smelling, he got to listen to all the explanation. Eventually, a little envious of all the fun their having, he joined in, sneaking a sniff and a sip on Amy's glass as she was finished with her own tasting

"Highly unlikely, but I wouldn't want to shoot your hopes down," she replied, referring to all the time she'd caught him have a sip on her glass. He did it unabashedly, even giving her that silly smile he had beyond the glass that's covering his face. Amy just let him be because it's rare for him to be in this kind of mood. And she also believed that Sheldon had barely enough of the wine for it to be considered as a full glass.

"You really shouldn't. I'm enjoying my exemplary ride here in this vintage train," he teased good-naturedly, still in awe about their current railcar. _Who would've thought they'd done an excellent job restoring this Pullman railcar?_ His intentions were to probably skip a few minutes from their next winery stopover to explore more segments of the locomotive. Maybe then he can meet the conductor and be allowed to explore the engine room and blow the whistle.

"Just keep your energy in store. We still have two more wineries to visit and a fancy dinner when we get back to the hotel."

The meal continued for 30 minutes. They disembarked after that and had to tour another pillar of the winery industry at Napa Valley. The building reminded them of the middle ages—some sort of a medieval castle with hedges that lined the whole property. Behind the facade were series of modern buildings intended for the purpose of wine-making, and beyond that were rows of fertile vineyards which became the norm in Napa Valley.

An exceptional part of the tour was an underground wine cellar with queues of wine barrels that lined the entire space. Accompanied by the stone walls and eerie feeling underground, they were educated about the different fermentation techniques and length of the fermentation to achieve the best product they could. They also said that different species of oak would give off different flavor profiles, which Sheldon believed because when they had the tasting he could tell which wine was fermented in an American oak barrel and a French oak barrel.

Back to the weird feeling, it was unsettling for the most part. Somehow, that feeling was anchored on the fact that he had read and adored Edgar Allan Poe's _The Cask of Amontillado_ as a child _._ Every blow of the cold wind on the back of his neck and every echo of the voice in the room reminded him of when Montresor led a heavily drunk Fortunato in that 19th-century wine cellar, preparing him for his untimely death. He even imagined the rattling of chains that were used to lock Fortunato. The thought had spooked him tremendously, making his hold on Amy's arm tighter. Who would have guessed that he'll be the next _Fortunato_ to someone else's _Montresor_ , and, mind you, it will be highly possible since there were a dozen of them in the room, and they'll all witness a gruesome murder?

Setting aside the fear of dying chained within the walls of the cellar and buried—or rather, be stuck to a hollowed back of a wall with all the stones freshly adhered by mortar—alive, they were escorted back to the foyer to proceed with the wine tasting. It was just the exact setup as for their first winery, standing huddled together in one table as a server put a glass in front of them. Varieties of grapes were also included alongside their wine tasting. Sheldon did his trick the first time and glad it worked without any consequences from the drink. Another reason why he didn't feel any inebriation was mainly from his inclination to gorge on the grapes rather than taste the wine.

Once they were done with the tour, they were ushered back into the waiting train to have their third meal ready to be served. Amy had taken a lot of photos in the first half of the trip. She even had Sheldon pose with some of the landmarks to commemorate them in the future. He would certainly like to see himself wearing a superhero shirt and pants while posing for the camera. Oddly though, he opted not to wear his signature ¾ sleeved shirt underneath. As she was recalling the photos, she was certain Sheldon had taken photos himself, too, but she knew he did so out of convention.

It wasn't noticeable until the end of the meal that Amy was capturing photos of him behind his back. He can't really chide the woman because he was busy devouring that brie on ciabatta. Being across each other, it was easier to pretend to use her phone and take pictures of him. There were photos of him mid-bite, with that rather unappealing look on his face. There were photos of him chewing while his eyes were closed and lips in a pout. And Amy even took a slow-moed video of him gnawing on the food as he bobbed his head ever so slightly. But what Amy liked more, or what she'll cherish more were the photos of Sheldon awestruck as he gazed beyond the fields and a photo of him looking seriously straight into the camera with his hands clasped together and positioned in front of his mouth. After the latter was captured by her phone, Sheldon quickly chided her and playfully reached for her phone, proving to be unsuccessful because all Amy did was laugh.

The previous pattern went on as they disembarked to their final destination: tour, talk, taste, in that specific order. At the initial thought, the idea of spending almost 6 hours touring was a bit overkill for Sheldon, especially when the matter doesn't interest him at all. But then, last night's meal was an eye-opener; engaging himself to the art of wine by doing the unthinkable. Perhaps, no one noticed his unseemly guzzle of wine, but he couldn't care less because tasting that was the most pleasure he had for a while, well, not until he and Amy had that make out session back in the room.

If the dinner's wine-chicken-chocolate cake menage a trois was a lusty, beguiling eye-opener, the morning after that—not so much. He woke up with a bit of a headache. Wait, that's a bit of an understatement; he woke up with **a** headache. A full-on throbbing of the head. It was not distressing, mainly because he expected that the night before, but it sure did leave some gaps in his memory. It was only when he looked at his side and saw Amy peacefully sleeping that the memories, or snippets, of last night, came flooding in.

The alcohol. The kissing. The feel of the skin. And the vomiting. He was frightened that Amy might think less of him. It was inevitable, considering all the shameful things he did last night. But Amy didn't raise the topic at hand. Not at all. When they woke up the next morning, it's like nothing happened. No awkwardness. No condemnation. All she did when they were getting ready for the day was jest about him. All him. The noises he made as he vomited and the times whenever she catches him taking a sip from her glass at their dinner, she mentioned it all but not the kissing. Amy even imitated the way he whined last night about not getting enough wine. Whining for wine _,_ she'd like to call it. He didn't know if he was offended that she didn't want to talk about it, but he'd rather have a happy Amy than an angry one, that's for sure. Well, one thing's for sure, either Amy teasing him about his drunken state or teasing about what truly happened in their room, he was embarrassed by it all.

They arrived back at the station after 6 long hours of traveling, eating, drinking, and touring. He thought that only the train ride will give him comfort; turns out he was wrong. The company was even better. Sheldon cherished that time he invested in discussing with his friends, but it was mostly Amy who he got to talk to. Although the turn of events happened at the wine cellar, where all his musings about being locked up and left for dead, the apprehensions dissolved within a matter of seconds as they rose from the basement and away from the shadows of a possible murder weapon: wine barrels and hollowed stone walls.

They exited out of the tolerably crowded station; it seemed like the people waiting for their train dinner were already there. The facade of the hotel was visible from the station. After all, Raj intended to book at the Westin so they would just cross the street to make it to the train station. The sun beautifully illuminating the surroundings even though it cast from the other side of the station. No need to worry about the glare produced by the sun, it seemed. Sheldon started to notice that the majority of the group walked in the opposite direction, baffling him in return. He turned to Amy in bewilderment, furrowing his forehead.

"Where are they going?" asked Sheldon while pointing at the departing group.

"Actually, I'm coming with them." Amy stopped and hoped that their friends wouldn't leave her.

"Where?" Still staring at his friends, he inquired with a bit of anticipation.

"To the market . . . just right around that corner." She gestured, pointing at the street that leads to the left.

"Okay. I'll just stay at the hotel," he said rather enthusiastic, to the point of it being false. Amy noticed that but decided not to worry about it.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us to the market?" she asked one more time to see if he'll break.

Sheldon nodded. "I'm certain. It'll just stay in the room. Don't mind bringing something for me." He then smiled and was handed the key card for their room.

_Didn't break,_ Amy thought as they separated ways, tailing their friends in front.

Sheldon went on to cross the almost empty street. A few cars parked at the curb, others had their hazard lights blinking intermittently, signaling that they'll be out shortly. He trekked the steadily placed 12 steps of stairs separated in threes with a landing in between. The pathway was delineated by the shrubs strategically placed for landscaping. Fortunately, their hotel wasn't swarmed with people, just enough to warrant not being called a ghost hotel. Maybe in a week, it will be packed since summer would end and people from the city would seek the respite of the countryside. But now, he took the vacation as an opportunity to free his mind of all the problems and the people who've caused it in the first place. Even though some of those people were with him on the train.

"Hey!" A voice called from behind. He turned around to see Howard jogging his way to the lobby.

Sheldon cocked his head. "I thought you were coming with them."

"I was . . ." Howard replied, panting, "but then I got a call," he nonchalantly replied. A hint of distress was in Howard's actions but it seemed invisible to Sheldon.

The two walked and proceeded toward the elevator. Once inside, Sheldon asked, "From whom?" He looked at Howard who was still preoccupied with breathing heavily, also dancing in his feet. It puzzled Sheldon as to why he didn't reply quickly. A man who was exhausted from a full day tour and running wouldn't, out of the blue, dance in his feet when all he wanted to do was rest.

The resounding _ding_ of the elevator, signaling their arrival, was a sound of relief. Both for Sheldon and, especially, for Howard.

Howard dashed out of the elevator, as though his life depended on it. Remembering the question Sheldon threw at him, twisted on his feet and shouted in haste, "From nature! Gotta do the numbah two! Buh-bye!"

He stared in disbelief and awe at the man strutting in the hallway. It was an outwardly serious matter, withholding excrement, but he thought it was a tongue-in-cheek, seeing that Howard said it. Sheldon just shrugged and sympathized for the man; he'd been there and, fortunately, hadn't made that mistake again with the help of his bathroom schedule and rigid adherence to it.

He returned back into the room to rest and freshen up. Since Raj made a 6:30 reservation, 2 hours will be enough for all his ablutions. He wished Amy would go home soon because he doesn't want to be late, and, frankly, it takes her time to prepare herself.

Sheldon napped for a little over 20 minutes. When he woke up, he prepared himself for their dinner because he knew it would take time for Amy to vacate the bathroom. Frankly, he expected the tour to be exhausting, draining almost, that he wouldn't be able to join their dinner. But he thought, _I brought decent clothes . . . it would be a waste of packing if I didn't wear those._ Fortunately, he doesn't have to make an excuse for being exhausted because the trip was far from being wearisome.

He prepared his clothes, showered, and shaved his face (because he wasn't able to this morning due to a hangover). After he finished wearing his clothes for the night, he paced the room, waiting for Amy. When he heard a distinctive _beep_ from outside, followed by the twist of the doorknob, Sheldon stood up straighter at the foot of their bed and paused, ready to greet Amy.

"Hello, Amy! I'm already finished with the bathroom," Sheldon greeted ecstatically. He used his palms to straighten his shirt, dust off some imaginary dust, and tugged his shirt at the hips. He doesn't like showing off, not especially with his clothes, but he thought maybe she would like to be amazed.

She eyed him apathetically as she closed the door behind her with a subtle _bang_. Sheldon was already wearing his garb for the night: a navy blue button-down shirt, crowded with tiny, opaque white dots. It was tucked in his dark grey pants made with the same fabric as the blazer he laid out in the bed. Despite the appealing sight of her husband right before her eyes, that didn't lighten her mood at all.

She broke her gaze at him and put down the bag she brought from the market, not really taking into account the fragile things she brought, including that wine bottle that needed extra care. Kneeling in front of their minuscule fridge, she removed every perishable content out of the bag and stuffed it inside, abandoning the other contents of the canvas bag. _Amy must have bought a lot of things,_ Sheldon surmised as he heard a thud when Amy let go, almost hurled down in rage, of the bag. Opening the closet, she pulled out the garment bag, rummaged through her suitcase and makeup bag, leaving Sheldon worried about her actions. All of her actions seemed to be ensconced in ire with all the unnecessary thuds and bangs throughout her shifts.

She didn't greet him, which she usually does when they were apart. She didn't smile at him, which she usually does whenever she sees him smile. She didn't even engage in conversation, which he knew was her most favorite part when seeing him. There was nothing.

Sheldon called out, "Amy . . ." only to be replied by the slamming of the bathroom door. And then Amy was out of sight.

* * *

The tension was palpable throughout their dinner. Firstly, Amy blatantly ignored Sheldon as they were dining; just an occasional acknowledgment of what he's saying and then she was off to talk to another person. Secondly, his words were limited, almost uncharacteristic of him to just keep his head down or stare at his phone.

Mostly, Amy did the talking between two of them as they sat at the Michelin-starred restaurant within the hotel premises. Fueled by alcohol, the group started as mellow to free-spirited and ingenious as the night progressed. An adequate amount of alcohol was consumed, and not one drop of it went down Sheldon's esophagus.

He couldn't have the courage to have a taste of what they were drinking because Amy's anger might escalate when he tries to steal her glass. She might get angry again if he asked the server for a glass. He sensed it when they were still in the room that Amy was irritated at him. The reason . . . he really couldn't figure out. Maybe she was angry that he didn't join him in the market. But she was all smiles when they parted as she went with his friends. Maybe she was angry that he was pretending to not see that she was taking photos of him. She thought she was sneaky enough to pull it through, but Sheldon knew better. That might've been the reason. But when he shot her that look saying that he knew the photos all along, she smiled apologetically and continued taking photos of him. So that was definitely not the problem.

With nothing in mind, he couldn't piece together a logical cause of Amy's annoyance towards him. He was stumped as someone could get, well beyond his expertise. He roamed his eyes through the roundtable; everybody seemed unaware of the reason behind Amy's rage. Although, Leonard had been loosening his collar real hard and gulping every moment he could. He must know, for sure, but Sheldon doesn't know where to start.

The dinner went on without him talking more than 13 words. The longest being: " _I know a great deal about wines and grapes than you are, Penny,"_ which really didn't come out as what he intended to. To make matters worse, Penny just rolled her eyes at him and continued talking to somebody else. _So much so for a group who wants to enjoy,_ he snarked within himself at the beating up he'd been getting.

His emotions escalated quickly. From the room to the travel to the restaurant and to the restaurant itself, everything muddled up for him. You know what? He's done with being the punching bag and the laughingstock of the group. With Amy around, he expected it's a rarity, as she was always there to protect him from all the ridicule. But there she was, igniting the once-abandoned activity of making fun of Sheldon Cooper. He should be angry! He is angry!

He finished a few minutes before everyone did, clinking his cutleries to the plate like a madman as he muttered under his breath. His stares were deadly, but no one really cared about them. And all he did was cross his arms on his chest and frown at the merrymaking his friends were engaging. They were toasting their wine glasses, cutting up their meat, even murmuring something behind his back. _They must have been talking about me,_ he scoffed as he saw Howard and Bernadette giggling with each other. Raj joined in too and did that irritable chuckle he possessed.

Amy didn't even want to sit beside him at first. She must have been forced because everybody already took their seats and all that was left was the chair beside him. That puzzled him at first, but now… oh, he was infuriated! Maddening beyond words! Infuriated and irritated. Infuriated and irritated and . . . _hurt?_

He pushed back his chair aggressively, making it excruciatingly drag across the marbled floor. Blood was rushing through his veins like a deadly rip current, his heart was pounding on his chest, deeming all his consciousness futile. _Logical Sheldon be damned!_ He towered the group and pressed his palms on the table with vigor. "Excuse me!" he announced, enough for the group to hear. "I'll head upstairs now if you don't mind." The sarcasm was unmistakable, confusing his friends on why he was acting in such a manner.

He shot his look at Amy and demanded, "Give me the card."

The sharpness in his voice wrought fear onto his friends. For Amy, she just stared at him, undeterred. She didn't appear as perplexed and fearful as their friends; she knew what was happening and she knew why it was happening. She gently arranged her utensils properly and slowly wiped her mouth with the napkin.

"I said, give it to me!" he said, gritting his teeth. He tried to be as quiet as possible but his piercing voice still emanated to the room.

"Don't you want to come with us to the bar, Sheldon?" Raj asked, trying to be calm and knock some sense into their odd friend.

"I don't care!" he shouted, throwing daggers at everyone for acting the way they were. At this moment, everybody was staring at the commotion. He was puffing his chest and breathing heavily. The lines on his face emerged from their lair, justifying his apparent anger at Amy and everybody else. His anger was mixed with hurt, that it almost brought tears to his eyes. If Amy hadn't opened her any purse sooner, they would come pouring down his face. Although there was some slight moisture in his eyes that he instinctively wiped it off with the back of his hand.

Amy continued her slow movements, nonchalantly unzipping her purse to look for their key card. As the purse was pried open, Sheldon immediately saw what he was looking for and grabbed it rudely without any word, storming out of the restaurant.


	13. Cuervo and Jager's Fault

"What just happened to Sheldon?" Bernadette wondered, looking at Amy for answers.

An hour after Sheldon's outburst, they found themselves at the hotel bar. Emily and Penny recommended bars within the vicinity but settled at the hotel because a.) it's illegal to drink and drive; b.) if they all went home drunk and walked in the unfamiliar city, they might be kidnapped; and c.) Sheldon might have another outburst any second and being at the hotel, it will be easy to get to him.

Soft jazz played in the background. It's not the type of place where heavy drinkers and party-goers prevail, instead, the place was exclusive to the people staying at the hotel and those who recently dined at the restaurant.

Amy sighed heavily, staring at the condensation at the surface of her glass. "I was testy with him when we returned from the market."

They were seated at a U-shaped booth that barely fit everyone. Seeing that it was still 8 in the evening, the bar wasn't as crowded as it would be in 2 hours. Again, drinks were served and everyone opted for juice or a non-alcoholic cocktail to quench their thirst. The night was still young and the opportunity to drink will definitely arise.

"Why?" Howard asked.

"It was something about what Leonard said," she then looked at Leonard plainly. Not that she was blaming him, she just thought the timing of what Leonard said was rather untimely.

"Leonard!" Penny chided and stared at the innocent Leonard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in nervousness. The habitual loosening of the collar carried into the bar. His coat was off and yet he was perspiring noticeably.

Amy was quick to save him. "No, don't get mad at Leonard. It was just a slip of the mouth, what he said. And it got me a little irritated with Sheldon."

"Why would you ruin Sheldon in the eyes of Amy? Look what we've got! Sheldon's having a meltdown!" Bernadette interjected while reaching across the table to poke Leonard in the chest. The latter moaned and was slightly perplexed that even though Amy laid the guilt off him, he still got the dirty looks.

"It's really not Leonard's fault. It was me who decided to react in that way." Her voice was ridden with regret. It was an impulsive reaction to such stimulants. The weather might be a reason for it, so as the continuous trips they had that constantly exhausted her.

The group got contemplative for a second, being sensitive about Amy and what she did. "Are you still angry at Sheldon?" Emily talked for the first time.

"It's odd though; I still am. Not raging but maybe a bit irritated. I thought the cold treatment would knock some sense into him." She let out an exhausted chuckle.

"What exactly did you tell her?!" Penny's rage was fueled by alcohol from earlier's dinner. It was more of an internal rage because there were people around and she doesn't want to be escorted out. Leonard looked like a poor sheep, but he had to act like Penny's rebuke wasn't affecting him. He just looked at her, pleading to calm down.

"I'd rather not say it," Amy said, downcasted. She quickly raised her head to tell her friends that the thing that she knew about wasn't something serious. Maybe she just overreacted at the revelation. As much as she wanted to tell them, it was against her will to do so.

"Did you tell Sheldon about why you got angry with him?" Raj asked, worried about his friend. In truth, he thought he was the most helpful person out of the bunch, so his advice will probably be the most relevant.

"No, not really."

"I don't want to influence you or something like that, Amy, but I think you should tell him. That would kill him if you just let him guess what's bothering you," Raj added, thinking about how brilliant that advice was. Everybody agreed, nodding their heads yes.

Amy contemplated for a second. If she told Sheldon, he will probably be miserable. If she opted not to tell him, he will still be miserable. Either way, both of them will be miserable and there was no good outcome to this. She raised her cold glass and drank from it. She wished it was some sort of amnesia-inducing drink (aka alcohol), but seeking advice while drunk seemed pointless. "Does he always have these meltdowns?"

Everyone who knew Sheldon deeply exchanged looks. _This is gonna be tough._

"At times," Bernadette kindly replied. She recalled the time when Sheldon got stuck in his work that he didn't sleep for days. She was still new back then, and it was the first time she saw Sheldon in that state, but he proved to be a person who reacted to things differently. It's not always delirious and dazed Sheldon, sometimes he could be irritable and sensitive.

Leonard quickly responded to assure Amy. "But it recently improved—the lashing out. I noticed when you came back, he got quite tolerable." Everybody agreed. They even dubbed Amy as their _savior_ because when she came, Sheldon's attention was all on her, and she always kept him occupied to the extent that he wouldn't even have a chance to annoy anyone beyond their apartment.

Howard chimed in, "And the last major one was that Amtrak journey of his. That meltdown was a bit tame compared to the others, but that meltdown, was the longest one, by far."

That bothered Amy. _If the intensity of the meltdown does not correlate to its duration, then, yes, this meltdown might be shorter but how intense could it be?!_ "Oh, no, this must've affected him a lot! Just by the way he acted out," she worried. Even seeking advice from someone else seemed in vain, because, in the end, it was for Sheldon to decide how he will take it. That frightened her enough to almost made her pass out.

"It truly did," Bernadette responded. That gathered looks of condemnation from their friends. She didn't intend to agitate Amy more, it was just an honest response.

Seeing Amy all worried, Penny dropped what she was drinking at the table and turned to her, "Amy, we can assure you it wouldn't be for long. Even if he usually looks and sounds angry, Sheldon has a long history of caving in easily whenever you've done something to him. Just a little bribe, and it's like nothing happened." She tapped Amy in the back, trying to comfort even though it seemed pointless.

Amy exhaled deeply and confessed, "I'm just worried about this secret I've been keeping from him. How am I gonna tell him this if a simple thing would change his mood?" Everyone figured out that Amy was not entirely worried about angering Sheldon, there was the sole reason why she was acting that way. Whatever secret it was, the girls—and Raj—got intrigued that they started fixating on what it could be.

Penny gasped, she covered her mouth and hunched. She hissed, whispering the words: " _Are you pregnant?!"_ within their circle, so as not to attract any attention.

" _Wha—"_

Everybody followed suit, _oohs_ and _ahhs_ were prominent. The boys especially Leonard was hesitant that Amy bearing Sheldon's child, but since Amy arrived, the impossible seemed possible. And Sheldon also crudely informed them in the past that he does have genitals and it was functioning and aesthetically pleasing, so the possibility of him was more than what Leonard could imagine.

"Oh my god! Sheldon's gonna be the first one to have a child?!" Raj clapped his hands, almost ready to order a celebratory drink for Amy and disregarding the fact that he's celebrating a supposed pregnant woman.

All the while, from the beginning of Penny's allegations, Amy wanted to say something. She had been interrupted, stammering whenever she tried to explain herself.

Finding the right opportunity as the rave about a nonexistent pregnancy died down, she hastily said, "Guys! Hear me out. I'm not pregnant."

Still incredulous about the real score, Penny tried to reason out. "What else would a woman keep from her husband? It's always a pregnancy right?"

"Really, guys, I'm not pregnant. No one got pregnant. The relationship has not reached that point," Amy explained, amassing disheartened words from her friends.

"It's about my work," she continued. Her friends waited for her to explain further.

Amy sighed, preparing herself. "As you know, I started with Caltech mid-January and my contract was until the end of the academic year, around June," she breathed,

"And then they extended for the summer, which was fine because I love Caltech and UCLA has given me the freedom to visit other institutions as long as I publish for them," she assured everyone. "Here's the tricky part: my contract is ending this August and I haven't told Sheldon yet." Amy bit her lower lip in anxiety. _Who wouldn't be?_ everyone thought so, reminiscing the times they'd got something nerve-wracking to tell Sheldon. Although Emily was relatively new, Raj shared some experiences

with her that made the imagery pop out.

"Oh, it'll be fine, Amy. Every scientist, especially those in demand in their field, are always sought out by universities. I'm sure Sheldon's gonna be fine." Leonard's assurance did help, but she knew it was short-lived.

The moment Howard asked what she feared for, she wanted to hear Leonard's words instead and forget about what Howard said. " _You'll just be at UCLA, right?"_

She dropped her head. She's getting a slight headache now, and she tried to blame it to the wine that accompanied them for dinner. But she knew it wasn't the wine at all; overthinking was causing her head to throb. "I'm not," she admitted.

Raj replied, "What do you mean you're not? Where are you going then?"

"Dartmouth . . ." Amy started drawing circles on the table. She kept her eyes down and waited with bated breath. Honestly, the confession somehow managed to alleviate the emotional and mental pain she's been feeling. It felt like the burden she's been carrying dropped into the abyss, relieving her somehow.

Penny leaned into Leonard and inquired, "What's a Dartmouth?"

"A university in New Hampshire . . ." he replied, leaning in. She still looked quizzical. Penny tried her best to recall if that was maybe a city or a province, perhaps. She tried to remember if that was somewhere near Old Hampshire, but she wasn't so sure if Old Hampshire was a real thing. Everyone seemed to know where that is, so

Leonard came to rescue, "It's on the east coast."

"Ah, right . . . east coast. That's far, Amy," she realized, then sympathized.

"It is," she breathed, "And I've decided on it way before Sheldon came. I already signed a contract from them for the fall term, and it's a flexible agreement, too; they might want to extend me until the end of winter. I might be there until March, or worse until the end of spring term!" She can feel her parched throat seeking for hydration. She downed her water as much as he can. She decided to put her hair in a bun as she was preparing, and now, from all the tension since dinner, she removed the tie holding it together. Maybe that was also the reason why her head was throbbing a while back

"That's a long time, Amy," Bernadette contemplated.

"Really long . . ." Amy confirmed, nestling her forehead in her palm.

"He's not really good with people leaving him," Leonard admitted. He thought it would be regarded as something offensive for Amy's part, especially if she thought he was accusing her, but she just agreed by nodding in understanding.

To support Leonard's claim, Howard added, "Take for example, when Leonard left last year, he was acting weird."

"He was pretending that he wasn't missing me but every time Penny would call, he was always there listening and waiting for his turn," Leonard confirmed.

That rendered her mute. Sheldon always has a spot in her heart. Saying full-on romantic would be inaccurate, but his spot was pretty special. It's not about if she will proceed to Dartmouth, it's about how was she going to approach this matter to a, based on evidence, sensitive and intolerant Sheldon.

Will he be missing her? Will she be missing him? Will they still communicate a lot? If her contract was done, will he accept her back to the apartment, or should she find a place beforehand? It was frustratingly overwhelming, that all she thinks about Sheldon and not herself. It was getting poisonous if she continues this path.

"Do you have any idea how he would take it if I go away?" she asked sincerely. If he would react in such an outrageous manner, she could as well give him the space he wanted. Amy just hoped it won't spiral down to the disruption of his daily life. She heard it a lot lately. The anecdotes were fairly vague, but what she got from those was only Mary Cooper could persuade Sheldon to get back on track. And if Mary would know of this, she might not have a residence when she gets back to Pasadena and would be forever banned in Texas.

Penny responded honestly, "We haven't really noticed how he reacted when you went away 2 years ago, remember? And we barely knew something about you to notice it anyway. But one thing we knew, he was elated to see you again this year, so the parting might be tough on him."

"Just take care of him. He might get angry at me, seeing that I'll be going away on his first week of teaching," she explained. The realization hit all of them. Sheldon's teaching while Amy's preparing to move away.

"Oh my, Amy, that's gonna be hard," Bernadette pointed out. Not that Amy already knew.

Amy puffed air out and said, "I haven't told him about it yet because it slipped my mind, with all of the things happening. It's only yesterday when I received an email from the department head regarding my move. I freaked out when I saw that email."

Everyone nodded in sympathy. Despite Amy not showing any emotions, they all knew that she was in pain deep inside. Amy's like Sheldon. They react the same: a bit reclusive and quiet whenever they knew about something. It was a relief that unlike Sheldon, Amy was easier to crack open. She just needed a few nudges, and Amy will be ready to say what's bothering her. However, like Sheldon, she was pretty guarded with her emotions. It was easier to make her smile, but once you seek for her sorrow, you have to be Sheldon to be able to pry it open and know what's inside.

"It's gonna be alright, Amy."

"We'll keep an eye on him."

"It's gonna be a long time, guys . . ." She felt a pat on her back.

It was not as painful as it was exhausting. The weariness of the day overwhelmed her emotions that even feeling them would mean she'll end up more tired. Looking back, she can't find the culprit of her emotions. She thought she knew where it stemmed but denial took over. She can't feel those because what she's feeling was unstable, as of now. And even thinking about it makes her not want to feel it. It'll hurt her more; she doesn't want that.

"Don't worry, we've been dealing with him for years, a good 4 . . . 5 months wouldn't hurt, for sure," Leonard appeased with a thinly-veiled hesitation.

The table fell silent for their troubling friend. It took a while before everyone got their mojo back. Once they did, it seemed like Amy's problems just disappeared into the air. She was grateful for that a lot.

With the night still young, Raj suggested an irresistible notion, "How 'bout let's play a drinking game!"

Everybody rejoiced. Even Amy. To let the night fade in and forget about it, just for a while.

* * *

"Amy?" Sheldon said as he opened the door. He knew it was Amy because, first of all, she was his roommate, and second, he got their only key card out of rage a few hours ago. It was only logical to assume that she'll be knocking. What he didn't expect was the state of his wife.

Amy had her head down and raised it when she heard Sheldon's call. "Yow, Shelly!" She smiled as she whisked away Leonard and Penny's hold on her. She jumped into Sheldon, trapping his arms in her hug. She also tried to wrap her legs around his waist, but Penny and Leonard were quick-witted enough to support the helpless Sheldon and gently dropped Amy's feet to the ground.

"She had drunk quite a few," Leonard explained. Same as everybody, they had drunk a few.

"You'd think, huh?!" he rebuked, gasping and eyes wide. It's usually his hands on his hair on these occasions, but seeing that Amy had trapped him in the most restrictive way, he just clenched his hand.

"We were playing . . ." Penny leaned her hand on the door frame, trying to keep her steady.

"And she was a lightweight," Leonard added, not feeling well himself. He clutched his head as the throbbing was apparent.

Finally, Amy loosened her grip around his torso and walked inside. Although, Sheldon hadn't noticed it so well because of his heated interrogation. "How many did she have?" he taunted, challenging them for what they've done.

"2 shots of Cuervo and an experimental shot of Jäger?" Penny answered with a slur.

" _Jäger?_ JÄGERMEISTER?! I'm not an alcoholic but everybody knows that's what college kids drink in frat parties! What the hell were you thinking?!" he burst in his reprimanding tone.

Penny replied casually, "She said she was interested in the taste since she's been hearing about it since college."

Sheldon sighed at how preposterous the situation was. If he didn't storm off, Amy and all of them wouldn't be in this situation because he was there to monitor them. "You'd think allowing her to drink that much would make everybody happy?!"

Both just stared at each other and back to Sheldon. No one answered.

Exhausted, Sheldon asked, "How many did you have?" he pointed at Leonard whose coat was off and shirt untucked.

"I had 2 as well. Penny had 4 shots of tequila," Leonard answered. "Everyone had Jäger so . . . you can't really get angry." He wished the interrogation was done because he's tired and couldn't keep up with sober Sheldon.

His forehead furrowed in irritation as he groaned, "Oh, God! You're influencing her!"

"No, they didn't!" Amy yelled from the inside, interrupting.

As if on cue, Leonard and Penny took the opportunity to return to their room where no one will berate them. "We'll see you tomorrow, Shelly. Night!"

Sheldon just shook his head in frustration. He closed the door and walked back to the room. Amy was there, splayed on top of the bed, her knees dangling on the edge. Somehow, she managed to strip off her clothes while Sheldon was having a conversation. There was a mound of red cloth just right outside the bathroom door, signaling that she ditched them. Sheldon got a little nervous about what her current status was. It would have been a horrifying event if she was just naked, but, luckily, Amy had her robe on. _Phew!_

With the darkness of the room, the lone bedside lamp barely illuminated her reclined body. Sheldon approached the bed, surprised to have seen Amy's robe to be untied and parted, a sliver of her freckled skin was visible from his position. Good thing was, she was still wearing her panties. Bad thing was, her bra was off and all Sheldon could see was the patch of skin on her sternum. _Good God . . ._

He was angry a while back. But he managed to calm down, take a hot bath, dress in his Saturday pajamas, watch TV, eat the buttery cold croissant Amy bought from the market because he wasn't able to have a dessert, open the complimentary wine they received and had a few sips (enough to numb the anger, about ¼ of the glass), read a few pages of a journal, pack his bags, and snatch a few minutes (11 minutes, to be precise) of sleep before Penny and Leonard brought Amy home. It could have been worse if he'd already fallen into REM sleep. By the time they were waiting outside, his anger was nowhere to be found.

Seeing Amy sloshed to the gills, brought back memories of his father. It was rare for the old man to pass out from inebriation, mainly because he has a high tolerance, but when he did, his mother was always there to take care of him even though her anger would endure. Although, not before she'd berate him. She'd set aside the anger and maybe change his clothes, give him a glass of water, prepare him for bed. Sheldon was always been excluded during this time. What's so special with his father having a drink was the times the old man would ask him for water. He wouldn't ask Missy, nor Georgie; it was always Sheldon. It was not special for everybody, not even special for a young Sheldon, but when his father passed, it felt like that part of him went with his father.

He'd like his water cold, just like his beer. It seemed a bit easy, but George liked how Sheldon would give him his water: 5 large ice cubes in a glass ¾ filled. Enough to keep the inebriation at bay. Sheldon always knew that his father would sleep in front of the TV right after he asked for water. By the time he's sleeping, the glass is half-filled, and with the ice cubes, it will melt slowly, just right in time before the glass is filled to the brim. By then, his father would rush to empty his glass, giving him no more space for alcohol. Sheldon always thought he'd hit two birds with one stone whenever he witnessed that scene.

Learning from his past experiences, he had a travel canteen he brought from Pasadena and refilled it once they returned from their train trip. He then put it inside the fridge and had been sitting there for 5 hours. No ice cubes were at hand, so he knew cold water in a metal container would suffice.

Sheldon retrieved the bottle from the fridge, shuddering from the apparent chill brought out by the metal container. He grabbed a clean glass from the counter and watched as he meticulously poured the liquid. He kept a good eye on it to reach the perfect imaginary line he had established. "What happened to you?" he asked collectedly, still pouring.

"We played truth or drink," Amy responded in a grumble.

"Let me guess, you decided to drink?" he teased, approaching her with a glass in one hand. He placed it at the nightstand and returned to her.

Amy raised her hand above, keeping 3 fingers up, as she defended herself, "Only three times!"

Sheldon sighed and plopped down on the bed, leaving a respectable distance between them. "What happened to the other times?" he asked, curious if what was the current status of Amy. _How drunk was she? Are her thoughts coherent?_

"I told the truth." She pushed herself up by the elbows. At that moment, Sheldon knew what was happening, so he averted his eyes quickly. He heard the rustling of fabric, indicating that she must have tightened her robe.

Amy asked again, "Are you still mad at me?" That's when he brought his attention back to her.

It was hard to admit the truth, especially when you're talking to a drunk person. "Yes," he sighed heavily. With that, he let out hurt and regret.

"Aw, me, too," Amy smiled, returning his stare. Oddly, she doesn't seem angry. But who knows, Amy's drunk and she doesn't know what she was feeling. "A little birdie told me that you told Kripke that you were giving it to me _good."_ She raised her eyebrows suggestively and swayed in her seat.

" _Leonard,"_ he grumbled in anger and relief. Angry at Leonard for blabbing it to Amy. He thought Penny would be the one to break, but it seemed like Leonard was slowly transforming into Penny by being the blabbermouth. It was a slip of the mouth, but Leonard and Penny made a big deal out of it. And was relieved to know the cause of Amy's anger, allowing him to explain. And with the way she reacted, it seemed like she was not angry anymore.

He said apologetically, "Amy, I can explain—"

"Hush little baby . . . you don't need to explain . . ." she sang as she closed her eyes and rocked from side to side.

It was rather weird to see her acting unlike herself. But Sheldon was grateful that she was not as angry as she used to be. However, this might not be the case once the alcohol passes on her system.

He sighed in relief, still not convinced that she was fine with it but got no other things to believe in. "Thank you. I'm sorry if I told Kripke that. He was insinuating that my subpar performance was anchored to the fact that I was getting laid every night. It was embarrassing but I got no other way out," he apologized, hanging his head in disappointment. "And I apologize too, for making our dinner tense. I was just confused and hurt."

Amy pouted and said, "Aw, I know . . . but I'm still angry at you." She then smiled a sweet smile, clasping her hands together in delight.

Her response befuddled him. He cocked his head in return as he arranged himself properly on the bed. "Then why are you still being nice to me?" Pain and confusion manifested in his voice. He was getting mixed signals and he doesn't know how to react or how to feel. He knew her inebriation was a factor, but what happens when she's sober again?

"I'm always nice to you," Amy reasoned, almost scowling as she crossed her arms on her chest. Clearly, despite the alcohol in her system, she had evident concern in her. Another shift in her mood and then she was pleasant to him again. "Aw, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone," she said, almost emotional. She reached for him and wrapped him across the shoulders tightly.


	14. Descent into Madness

" _I'm always nice to you," Amy reasoned, almost scowling as she crossed her arms on her chest. Clearly, despite the alcohol in her system, she had evident concern in her. Another shift in her mood and then she was pleasant to him again. "Aw, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone," she said, almost emotional. She reached for him and wrapped him across the shoulders tightly._

"Gone? Where are you going?" he asked calmly, confused. He's been having a hunch about where this was going, but he can't tell for sure. Amy had been brimming with ambiguity this night and figuring out what she was saying was a rather Herculean task.

"Somewhere far, Blue Eyes," she answered sedately, leaning into the headboard. She closed her eyes and reminisced. _Blue eyes . . . it's always so deep, makes me wanna dive in_.

"Amy, I'm confused. What 'far' are you saying? Are you going away?" He scooted nearer. The beat of his heart has gone mad at the nonchalance she had been displaying.

"Shhh! Be quiet, it's our secret." She put her finger in front of his mouth. "I'm going to Dartmouth. Don't tell anyone, okay?" she admitted eagerly. Her eyes widened at the sudden realization. "Oh, shoot! I already told someone about this. My bad." She had her hands on his shoulders and chuckled with her eyes narrowed.

At times, he would join into Amy's laughter, chuckle as though lunatics. He'd also cherish those moments whenever she's the first one to crack up. But this time, laughing seemed hard to concoct. "Dartmouth? Are you having a seminar there? It's fine by me if you were gone for a week, I guess," he answered seriously, still unaware of the severity of what she was about to say.

"A week?!" she shrieked with her eyes wide open. "No, no, no, brother! They want me for—" Amy raised her hand, vacillating between her index and middle finger, "—one—" she raised her index finger, squinting at it closely if she got the right finger out, "—yes, for one semester!" she said proudly, nodding her head in confidence. Taken aback, the realization hit her. "Wow, that's a long time, huh?"

"One semester? A short summer semester? I heard New Hampshire is beautiful in the late spring and early summer. Either way, it's a peaceful state."

She chuckled, grasping her hands together. "Ha! I'll start on September 12! Well, I'll move September 12 and start September 15!" she announced. Her amazement was unwavering. Intoxication might be a factor in that.

"September?" He stood up in confusion, towering Amy who was still lazily sitting at the bed. "The very week I'm starting my classes?!" he said in disbelief, slowly understanding how this was going to turn out. _I'm teaching . . . and Amy's not there . . . and she's moving away!_

Amy just tapped her nose twice in jest. She thought this was just a silly encounter with Sheldon, who seemed to not enjoy her quips at all. It was still unknown to her that Sheldon's having an internal struggle within himself that the genius in him wasn't equipped to respond.

"Why haven't you told me about this? Are you just going to disappear and not tell me about it?! If it weren't for you being drunk, you weren't planning on telling me, were you!" The tone of his voice rose. He was rambling his words. He paced the room as he anxiously fiddled with the hem of his plaid pajama shirt. Thoughts were rapidly drifting in his mind that stopping them was pointless.

"Hold up, Sugar!" Amy's now sensing the apparent dispute. "I'm already telling you! No need to be bitchy about it," she insisted.

"I am not being spiteful." He stopped in his tracks and crossed his arms on his puffed chest. "You can't go, Amy!" he demanded again. The way he pleaded was almost forceful, begging.

Amy fought back with a rather confusing statement. "And why not? Are you pre-egnant?!"

"Wait _. . ._ what?" He furrowed his forehead at the disconcerting response. _How drunk is she?_ He remembered he's still talking to an intoxicated Amy. A few seconds passed and Sheldon just shrugged off that unrelated question. "You can't go. You promised to stay here. You can work back at UCLA, it'll be fine with me!" he suggested almost frantically.

She had the look of disbelief etched on her face, her mouth ajar. "Hold on! I'm drunk, not stupid. I remembered that I get to have my career even though we are married. And I asked you to include it in that contract." Her consciousness was slowly overthrowing the intoxication. Although still having a slur, her thinking was much clearer than a few minutes ago.

"I wasn't expecting that you will have that kind of career! What do I know? I agreed because I might get to work at CERN and I'm not passing that up. No way!" Sheldon defended. His lethal, innate patriarch took over. The things men say, especially to their female counterparts. That seemed to trigger something in Amy that led to catharsis.

"HOLY _. . ._ "

Words that were vicious in nature were spoken. Names such as _blockhead_ and _numskull_ were called, and even meaner names he ought were fake but turned out to be real. And swear words his parents used to say to each other while fighting, including dagnabbit and _Sugar Honey Iced Tea_ (he only got the meaning of it at a family gathering when Georgie told him to spell it out), and more foul words than a person could fit in one breath.

He thought he will hear those words coming from Amy's father, when, it a possible future, Sheldon would inadvertently hurt her. He will say words to Amy; she will be upset; the news would reach her father; in return, the 190lbs, 5 foot 9 ex-Navy reserve will barge into his apartment and ask for his presence. He will say those words to Sheldon and maybe shoot him in the foot as a warning not to see her daughter ever again. That's just how he would imagine it, but still, it was fine with him to be berated by Amy's father, as long as the pistol is out of the picture.

Sheldon witnessed it firsthand, the darker side of Amy. He never thought one could put that many bad words in a whole sentence, much more in one breath. Also, he was expecting this to happen, just not so soon. Her outburst didn't anger him at all; if so, it knocked some sense into him. He couldn't rival her anger because he might hurt himself, or worse, he might hurt Amy.

It would have been highly likely that he'd get this kind of berating from Amy's father or any other male relative, or if his own father was still alive, he'd say that to him, too. _What would Dad say if he saw me at this stage of life right now?_ Would he be proud? Maybe he'll just say: " _This is ridiculous, why'd you marry someone?"_

He noticed Amy had stopped with her rants. She knelt on top of the bed, balled fists and puffed chest. She was breathing heavily, her nose flared up in anger. He knew he was in danger with how he acted, but he still stood by his request for Amy to stay.

"Amy, will you please calm down," he sensibly replied once he was back from his reverie. He caressed his forehead in exhaustion.

"How can I calm down if you're being unreasonable?!" Amy threw her arms in the air and groaned, enraged and exhausted.

"You don't understand, I don't want you going away for a long time. A week? Sure, fine, bring me a souvenir! 4 _. . ._ 5 months? Did you hit your head, Amy? You might be suffering from a concussion," he explained in a somewhat raised but calm voice.

For Amy, that passed the passive-aggressive meter she had within her. He thought he was trying to sound logical and calm but deep inside, there were condescension and arrogance hidden in his words. She stood up in the bed, walked at the very edge, and leaped at the carpeted floor, making the contact produce a menacing _thud,_ startling anyone who would hear it. The moment Sheldon saw Amy calculating the distance and swaying her hands, he knew he should stand back. He fumbled a step back as Amy snapped at him.

"Ugh! I can't believe that I was worried about how you'd react! This _. . ._ this is not worth my efforts! You are not worth my efforts, Sheldon! What do you care anyway? You're satisfied with Caltech, you don't need anything more!" She moved toward him adamantly, he stepped back. She moved again, he backed away even further. A hard material caught his back. He was trapped between a raging Amy and the closet.

If she was angry a little while back, her anger shot to the limits now. She gritted her teeth and pointed at his chest, incensed. "Let me tell YOU this: this offer was way before you entered back into my life, ergo, YOU don't have any say to this," she said with conviction, never breaking eye contact. It was like a settled agreement and any further amendments were not welcome.

Sheldon was stuck in his rigid stance. He had his whole body glued to the closet. His head retreated back until he hit something hard. He can feel Amy's heavy breathing hit around his throat, sending chills down his spine; that prompted him to gulp in nervousness. Also, the area in his chest were she poked him was quite sore, to be honest.

"Amy, I don't want you going there," he whispered, mumbling his words. He wasn't in his head when he said that. It seemed like it was the wrong response because of Amy's expression intensifying. He expected a choke or a slap, that's why he closed his eyes and drew his chin in his chest, waiting for the sting of the slap or the lack of air to happen.

Contrary to his painful expectation, coldness welcomed him. He felt the cool air blow across his body as Amy retreated away from him. In hesitation, he opened one eye to peek and saw Amy trying to breathe calmly, her eyes were tightly shut as her hands were on her hips. Continuing her breathing, it took her a few seconds before she popped her eyes. Sheldon relaxed in position when he saw Amy approach the glass of water he brought, instead of approaching him to give him a slap.

She turned to him and said sternly, "Well guess what? I am anyway," before gulping the cold water in a mere 9 seconds.

Sheldon exhaled, regaining his relaxed posture. "Okay, okay! H-How about you go next year?" he recommended blithely. "I have a hunch that 2015 is the year for Dartmouth. N-Not right now. You can go back to UCLA _. . ._ o-or maybe Caltech. I'm sure they'll be happy to have you back." It was the wrong moved when he smiled. Amy kept glaring at him despite his delightful suggestion.

"I am going, Sheldon." She really couldn't stress it enough with him, the sternness shall remain. However, it was not as ardent as before the cold water. It really helped her calm down and sober up, but that didn't make her feel otherwise about her decision. She kept her hands on her hips, breathing heavy but steady.

Taking advantage of Amy's lessened anger, Sheldon extenuated, "But the people . . . and the . . . the place . . . and the cold . . . Dartmouth is not for this year. How about n-next year . . . w-when I'm done with teaching—"

"This is final. I am going," she responded with conviction. Amy pushed aside Sheldon to get her clothes for the night but was stopped dead in her tracks as the next union of words left Sheldon's mouth.

He wailed, "BUT I LOVE SPENDING TIME WITH YOU, AMY! W-Who's going to be with me when you're gone?" The last words came out as a whisper. He almost choked up from the declaration.

Then he remembered that time . . .

_"I enjoyed our time together, Amy. Take care as you embark on your new journey. I'll see you when you come back." He beamed at her. Amy will miss those awkward yet genuine smiles. Those gripping, stimulating conversations. Those missed opportunities to see each other._

_"You're making me sad. I'll miss you, Sheldon." She pouted, almost ready to cry, but she wouldn't because they are in a public space._

_This might be the last meeting they'll have in years to come. She's off to the airport in a few hours, ready to embark on new experiences in the unforeseeable future. The reason for her being on the edge of crying was because of what happened a few days ago._

_She and Sheldon had a spat; worse, they had it on voice call. She told him she was moving away to be a visiting researcher and lecturer at John Hopkins and maybe there will be other offers that might hinder her from coming back home to California for a long time. Of course, Sheldon partially accepted it, but by the time their call ended, he was cold and distant and wouldn't return her calls, even her texts._

_Yesterday, she texted Sheldon that all her belongings were ready, and her flight would be in the afternoon. She just texted that for formality's sake, but she never expected him to respond the next morning. Unexpectedly, he texted her and said he was waiting at a café just a block away from her apartment. She was even more elated to hear that he didn't forget. For Sheldon, he was surprised to see Amy entering the shop, given her hectic schedule, but gratified she did anyway._

_Despite having met maybe 5 times and countless Skype calls during the duration of their almost 2-year friendship, Amy will cherish the look on his face whenever they talk. They sat down together for almost 3 hours. They talked. They laughed. They ate food together. They shared stories just like they would on their normal video calls._

_Again with the smile, he leaned in and pat the tops of her hand. "Don't be sad. This is not a reason to be sad, Amy. I'll keep in contact despite our 3-hour time difference," he assured her. Having forgotten about their recent fight, Sheldon had been nothing but sweet in his own ways._

_Sheldon's words melted her. She never thought Sheldon had this soft side in him. He rarely displayed it, but once he's comfortable, he'll treat you like an equal. "Thank you. And take care of yourself, too. I will let you know when I arrive."_

_She took the last sip of her tea and stood up. Despite the leftover Danish pastry, Sheldon wrapped it with his napkin and followed her back to her apartment. Once at the entrance of the building, they parted ways. He even offered to carry her luggage but Amy declined, saying that she can do on her own. Instead, she innocently offered her hand as they said goodbye, hoping that a handshake wouldn't trigger his fear of germs. Sheldon was puzzled that Amy wanted a handshake._

_As guilt ate him up—after all the mean things he did to her in the past days—he wrapped his arms around Amy, albeit stiff. It was an extraordinary gesture from him; sure, Amy could use a much more comforting, loving hug, but Sheldon doing the best he can to show that he'll be missing her and will be thinking about her well-being was more than what she could ask for._

Amy slowly closed back the closet door and declared to Sheldon. Irritation in her voice, she said, "Give my room back to Leonard. I don't know! Maybe find someone else to satisfy your needs!"

Sheldon was taken aback. Something had been ripped inside of him. It was painful, almost gut-wrenching to the point where his insides are being torn apart deliberately. He choked back, "D-Does that mean you want to end whatever relationship that we currently have?"

Amy sighed at the reaction. Her choice of words might not be best for their situation but one thing she was certain of was her decision. She responded weakly, "What I'm gonna do is accept that job offer and move there. This is a done deal." She walked right past him and entered the bathroom.


	15. Her

Amy woke up to the sound of the brisk wind tapping on her windows. The curtains were wide open, mainly because harsh sunlight was not a major problem in December in New Hampshire, streaming in the ideal light enough to rouse someone from sleep. The sun rises at a little over 7 a.m. She was used to waking up at 6, but the fairly late sunrise sometimes interfere with her peaceful sleep.

She preferred the autumn weather—not too warm, a little bit chilly, but enough sunlight and wind to function on a day-to-day basis. But now, she had to face the reality of winter. _Oh, winter, it hurts to love you._

The beginning of winter had been pretty decent. It began with a gradual drop in temperature in November. A few decimal points per day and now the days are down to mid 20's with the highest in low 50's. The 50s was a rare sight and sometimes it drops to mid-10s at the dead of night. Not too cold if you're used to the extremes, but it's been a while since her last winter in the Northeast, so adjusting had been rough. Had it not been for the autumn transition, it would be tough to work in winter.

She got up from the comfort of her bed and her warm comforter to witness the scattering of white particles from the sky. New Hampshire had been snowing since Thanksgiving week, at least in Hanover it has. They even had an overnight snowstorm early in December that caused her to scoop out the snow covering the entirety of her car and shovel around, as well. Fortunately, it had been sunny most days, especially at noon, when the sun is at its peak. But still, piles of snow were on sidewalks and roads, enough to cover a layer of white mass on every surface there was.

A hot cup of coffee had been her companion since her arrival. She was grateful that the university provided her with a coffee machine. It was much needed right now since it had been sleeting since she woke up. _I hope it's not hard to walk to work,_ she thought, devouring her buttered toast.

That day might not be what she was expecting, hoping, really. The weather might not brighten with the continuous downfall of sleet. Her usual work time might be shortened, which was fine with the university because the fall semester had ended 2 weeks ago and it's not necessary to get to work on time as long as you meet the deadlines. Though, she had a few more things left to do, and she wished to finish it before her birthday in 4 days, hence working on Saturday.

 _Her birthday._ It was difficult to celebrate it away from home. And it seemed like she won't be coming home on the holidays either. Fortunately, she had some people to spend it with, in lieu of those people left in California. One thing's for sure, She missed _Sheldon_. And their friends. And the absence of a 60-degree winter with the special participation of the blinding southern sun.

She left California in poor taste. Very, very _wicked_.

The memory of the night of their fight was a bit hazy. She remembered being drunk. She remembered Sheldon being a jerk—for lack of a better word, that is. She remembered saying mean things, although she couldn't calibrate how mean those words were. She remembered telling him that she was moving to the opposite coast, which, without any concrete memory, she knew he didn't take well.

All she knew was everything shifted from then on.

When she woke up the next morning, with an apparent hangover, the room was empty. Luggage stood by the closet—at least his suitcase was. His side of the bed was neatly arranged, comforter folded, as though waiting for her to complete what he started. His damp robe was hung inside the bathroom. Everything in the room was neatly organized, except for all her belongings. At first, it bothered her. But seeing Sheldon's suitcase was a relief since it meant that he was still within the premises.

The chime of her phone alerted her. Leonard texted that everybody was gathered at the restaurant for breakfast and Sheldon was there. _Thank God!_ she thought in relief. She couldn't blame him if Sheldon would go back home immediately, but it would deeply affect them if they wouldn't talk to iron things out.

She took a shower hurriedly so she wouldn't miss them. Once she arrived, she got food from the buffet before joining them in. Everyone fell silent as soon as she sat down. Was it because they knew about the fight that ensued between her and Sheldon? Was it because they were trying to keep her secret as clandestine as possible to Sheldon? She doesn't know if Sheldon blabbed about knowing it, but one way or the other, she's certain it's all about Dartmouth. The way her chair drag across the floor was excruciating. The only seat left was beside Sheldon. She really wanted to sit beside him but he seemed not happy about it. The group's discussion gained back its momentum as soon as she started eating.

Once everyone was occupied with their conversation, Amy gazed at Sheldon, trying to test the waters. He was almost done with breakfast, a few leftover fruits on the plate. Other than that, he had his head rested on his left hand, showing that he was more than bored. His eyes were a sea of obscured thoughts, staring mindlessly into his plate. She tried to touch the hand on his thigh. He didn't react at first. When he felt the warmth of her hand, Sheldon looked at her, still empty, and slowly pulled away from her hand.

That was the last interaction they had in Napa.

When they went back home in Pasadena, the distance seemed to swell, it hurts to the touch.

She only got more than a week left before she has to say goodbye to Caltech. Those weeks before her flight were hectic that she was not able to give enough time to explain to Sheldon what will happen. Deadlines, clearances, consultations, lectures, and seminars ate her up that she forgot about the days and was surprised that it to know that it was the last Friday of August. Which meant her time was done with Caltech. This meant that in 2 weeks' time, she'll have to say goodbye.

But it seemed that Sheldon doesn't care at all. He would wake up early, to the point where the moment she opens the door to her bedroom, she would hear the main door would open and shut. She learned that Sheldon would prepare for work at a rather inconvenient time and once he hears Amy's door, he would wait next door for Leonard to take him. When they go home, he would to the same. It was unfortunate that it went on until she was finished at Caltech.

With 2 weeks left, she took 3 days of it to spend time with her parents. She told Sheldon over dinner (which was late for him because he was still avoiding Amy). He just shrugged and kept silent. Still downcasted, Amy just sighed and went on with her plans.

A lot has changed in a span of 2 . . . 3 months—honestly, she couldn't remember anymore. Her initial thought was to stay with her parents until her departure. Maybe sneak into their apartment to pack her clothes while Sheldon is at work. Maybe leave him behind and let him move forward with his life without any interruptions from her. All the possibilities were endless.

But she couldn't act on any of them. Out of guilt, she couldn't leave without explaining. Some might say that you don't need to explain, you don't need to prove something, you don't need to coddle the man who doesn't deserve it. But she found a loophole. She doesn't need to explain but she wants to. That doesn't make her change her mind. That doesn't make her vulnerable from any persuasion Sheldon will impose. Her mind was fixed; nothing can change it. What she can change was how they will part.

When she went back home in Pasadena on Monday, she was determined. Determined to at least make Sheldon understand that they lead quite similar but mostly different lives. That it's not always the two of them, sometimes, it's just her. Only her. She wanted him to understand that.

She would rival his rebellion. He woke up early, she didn't even blink once that night, not that she can remember. She carefully opened her door, waiting for Sheldon to finish with the bathroom. When the door creaked and he emerged from taking a bath, Amy sure remembered that he clutched his chest in shock. A mere " _Jesus"_ came from him, followed by a leer, and he was inside his room.

It was the initial stage. She would compare it to adopting a cat. _How so?_ In this case, you already have a cat at home, and you don't know if he would like the new addition. You can't just leave them both alone and go on your way. You need to get the older cat used to the scent of the newbie—whether be it from letting them smell each other through the door or maybe taking a toy from the new cat and let it older tenant get accustomed to it. You need to be there to supervise the meeting, make sure no one gets hurt, make sure the resident cat knows that he was the first one.

There may be some hissing and yowling. Some hunching of the back and fur-raising in anger. Or there might be a staredown. See who's going to break first. Assert dominance. It's to be expected. That's why she wanted to be there.

Days took off and nothing seemed to happen. Sheldon soon realized that waking up so early was in vain since Amy's been waiting for him. Still, the first of the 2 weeks left, he wouldn't let Amy drive him to work.

When the last week entered, he somewhat caved in. That Tuesday was his first day of teaching. Ever since wooing (she couldn't think of any word) him, she would join him for breakfast, even if he doesn't like it. Amy would pack him lunch, even if what she'd get from him was him rolling his eyes and an empty food container when he gets home. Amy would get dinner for them, and for the group, even if no one tells her to. Anyway, she had a lot of time at home and it would be pointless if she spends it with holding grudges on him.

He went out of his room in his gray suit, dapper yet slimmer from 3 weeks ago. As always, she joined him for breakfast, just to keep his anxieties away. When they were finished, she insisted on fixing his tie. He defended that it was alright and he can do it, even though the struggle was showing despite him turning his back. In the end, he lost. She kept tugging on it gently, tightening and loosening. All the while, Sheldon stood there, stiff and silent.

She said gently, "Can I drive you to work?"

He didn't respond. Instead, he cleared his throat, looked away, and shook his arms to feel the fit of the suit. Amy just forgot what she said, but continued straightening his tie.

"Yes," he muttered under his breath. Her face brightened but she quickly repressed it because she doesn't want to spook the cat, so to speak. Sheldon quickly drew his back to her, retrieving something from his pocket and wiped something on his face.

Amy changed her clothes, excited as one can be. Taking a bath be damned, she's not going out of the car anyway. The ride was eerily silent. No one talked the whole ride, but for Amy, it was the start of healing.

Wednesday and Thursday went well. She still drove Sheldon. She encouraged him to do his best when he's teaching. He politely thanked her. _That's a significant step._ Thursday was her last day before her flight. After driving Sheldon to work, she arranged last-minute chores: car rental, lodging, familiarizing herself with Hanover, and the neighboring towns. Her flight would at 7 in the morning so she wouldn't have a chance to drive Sheldon. They didn't talk about her going away, either. It seemed like a very delicate topic and Amy only had less than 24 hours to talk to him about it.

The night ended with nothing. No talks. No make-ups. She thought at least it would be better to have them fight. At least if they fight, they would eventually release all their pent-up frustrations and talk about it. Both of them laid early, in their separate bedrooms, with a shared dinner with the group beforehand. Even then, everyone knew that she would be leaving the next day, yet no one raised the topic. However, she got to spend some time with the girls and talk about their master plan for when she's away.

She woke up pretty early, too early before anybody else. She bathed and clothed herself, checked in online so she wouldn't have to worry about anything, inspected her bags. The only thing left to do was say goodbye.

She sighed heavily in front of his bedroom door, emotions were confusing. Turning the knob quietly, she pushed it open, enough to peek her head inside. She was supposed to stay just outside the door, maybe stare at him for a while. It wouldn't be 40 minutes more until he would be awake so she was expecting him to be asleep.

What welcomed her was Sheldon hunched over at the side of his bed. His feet were enclosed in his bedroom slippers. His head was down. His hair had gone all directions.

Amy saw him turn his head into her. The sliver of light made by the light from the hallway was enough to see his face. He had this peaceful expression on his face, almost helpless. Well, that's what he always looked every morning, anyways.

"Hi," she greeted.

Amidst the darkness, Sheldon nodded his head in greeting.

"I just called a cab. I'll be heading out soon."

He nodded again. Standing up, he approached her and got the robe behind the door. Amy thought Sheldon was still angry and wanted her out. Instead, he opened the door wide open. She stepped back, witnessing him enter the bathroom.

She sighed. She was expecting to talk to him. Maybe just small talks. She was not expecting to resolve everything. That was long overdue now.

Amy opened her bedroom door for the last time. The sheets were precisely tucked. Pillows had been puffed up. Her drawers and closet barely had anything on them, even her nightstand which housed a few journals and picture frames. She left behind her harp. She left behind her summer clothes. She left behind a few insignificant belongings, some of those she even questioned why she brought it in the apartment. And as much as she doesn't want to, _she will be leaving behind Sheldon._

She slowly closed the door for the last time, aware that she'll dread the day she moved. When she pivoted back to the living, Sheldon was standing, waiting, by the bathroom, hair neatly combed and probably brushed his teeth, too.

It was too much to handle, she quickly went past him, leaving him standing. She ducked her head and brisked walk ahead of him.

Checking the two suitcases, she tried to lift it in one hand, she lifted the other, too, but to no avail. It seemed like she was going to drag it down the stairs, hoping the neighbors wouldn't complain about the annoying noises.

She didn't hear when Sheldon approach her, almost giving her a fright. Without a word, he drew both the handles up and hauled it out of the door. Amy just stared at him in disbelief, glued to her spot. Sheldon stood, in waiting, at the other end of the door.

"Are you going or not?"

She shook her head lightly. "I . . . ahh . . . y-yes . . . of course," she stuttered, scrambling for her laptop bag, her duffle bag, and her handbag. She trudged to him in a rather struggling manner.

Sheldon dropped back down the handles with the distinctive _click_ and pointed out, "You seem to struggle with that." She wore her laptop bag across her body, hooked her handbag in her shoulders, and carried the duffle bag in her free hand, its sling dangling on the floor.

"I-It's fine. I can handle it," she replied, slightly embarrassed.

In the end, Sheldon wore her handbag as they hiked down the stairs. No one seemed to spark a conversation because both were exerting all their effort in carrying bags. It's only when they reached the lobby that Sheldon said something.

"Amy," he dropped down both the suitcases, his exhaustion seemed apparent, "Based on the amount of luggage that you have, you decided to push through with the offer."

"Yes, I did," she sheepishly replied but maintained her footing.

The dream of being an accomplished individual, in terms of academic excellence, was just the beginning. The chance to influence others with her expertise was even more fulfilling. And when she heard that very last assumption made by Sheldon, she knew she needed to push through. Sheldon was just an instrument sent to her to either help her or ruin her as she achieves her goals. Fortunately, thankfully, Sheldon decided not to foil her plans. Or else . . .

"Well," he sighed, "know that I'm just here in Pasadena."

A man doing his best to say those words. Amy slightly cocked her head. "I know, Sheldon," she responded in thought.

"Okay. I'm relieved to know that you do." He bobbed his head. "Can you tell me when you've arrived?"

She first hesitated but later on agreed. "Of course, I will . . . i-if only you'd want."

"I want it," he answered, determined.

"Okay." She gazed back at the steps that lead to her safe haven for the last month. She'd lived in Boston, in New York, in Glendale, and in Pasadena in just one year—the most so far in her career. A rollercoaster ride, indeed. She looked back at Sheldon, amazed that in the next 10 hours, she'll be in her fifth city, or rather, town, for the rest of the year. Amy walked to the glass door, seeing her ride. "My cab's already outside."

"Will you get back here?" he asked, tailing Amy with all the bags.

She responded, "I suppose I will . . . eventually . . . when my duties end there."

He heaved in relief, "Good."

Still, Amy knew that there's no guarantee, but Sheldon believing that it will end that easily broke her heart.

She watched him load her bags in the trunk one by one, reminding her to count her bags so that she wouldn't lose any.

When he finished, she said kindly said, "Umm . . . bye, Sheldon." She held his shoulder and, as she tiptoed, dropped a feather-like kiss on his cheek.

"Bye," he whispered back politely as Amy pulled away, making sure to keep his hands where they were.

She opened the passenger and heard an innocent, barre request from him. "Amy, can you send me some maple syrup?" Her lips curled into an involuntarily, genuine smile that made her cheeks ache. She nodded and watched as Sheldon and their apartment disappeared when the vehicle made a turn.

* * *

As she walked back to her apartment, she roamed her eyes along with the sheathed trees and hiding buildings. Snow had been plowed away from the streets every day, the one that remained were those on sidewalks, half a foot in height, leaving people, especially children, in delight.

The cold broke through her clothing. After all, she'd been wearing skirts on days she can. A thick layer of tights kept her warm while her perfectly insulated ankle boots provided heat on her feet. She wrapped herself up in a parka with 2 layers of clothing underneath and her head was protected by a snug knit cap. Overall, it was a hoot.

An older woman from the balcony, presumably a colleague from a different department, who she shared the apartment building with, waved at her as she waved back. In the welcome mat at the entrance, she jerked her boots on its surface, shaking off any remnants of the winter.

When she arrived at her unit, the search for warmth dominated. She abruptly removed her bulky clothing, leaving her with her long-sleeved shirt and tights and skirt. Her cloth-covered feet glided across the kitchen to make herself some nice, hot instant cocoa to partner with her steaming, soft pretzels. She heard the _click_ and poured the scalding water into the mug. Even looking at it, she felt comforted already.

Came with the apartment was a decent fireplace. Not the traditional sense. It was an electric one, recessed into the wall. But it sure looked like the real deal when she first came in. It also had a thermostat to aid in the winter, mostly to keep her room warm since the heat generated by the fireplace was not enough.

Amy plopped down on the recliner, now she was down to her camisole and tights, sandwiching her legs on the leather cushion and her bottom, and drape a blanket around her shoulders. She leaned back and felt the heat radiating from all places. _What a wonderful day,_ she can finally say that since adjusting to living in Hanover had been done.

Fake-looking but efficient and effective fireplace, check.

Plaid wool blanket, check.

Hot cocoa, check.

Soft pretzels dipped in honey mustard sauce, check.

She retreated down into the chair, savoring the food, basking in the heat, and calming in the sound of crackling wood produced by the speaker from the fireplace. Indeed, it was a treat.

But despite the peace of mind and serenity, she can't avoid thinking about Sheldon. How was he? It's been a while now. The communication has ebbed in a month, like a dying wood fire not getting enough fuel.

It started when she got a call from Penny. She and Penny talk more often than she does with Sheldon, mostly because of their unresolved issue and abrupt parting. However, they try to talk to each other and act amicably despite the shortcomings

She remembered it vividly. It was on the cusp of November, a week before Thanksgiving. She and Penny had their usual catching up, and she casually mentioned how her contract might be renewed at Dartmouth. Penny was elated to have heard it, but they both started talking about Sheldon. How well can he take this information if he didn't even take the first one very well? Amy made her promise not to tell him and hoped it would last long enough for her to tell Sheldon.

When she called Sheldon in a few days, he appeared distant. But he was distant even before. _This is normal_. But it wasn't. The call ended quickly and on bad terms. Amy knew then and there that Sheldon must have known. _He must have known, for sure._ And lo and behold, Amy was not wrong. Penny talked him down about an update about Amy. The genius in Sheldon deduced that it will be something about Dartmouth, specifically how Amy's contract might be extended. And Penny couldn't deny because he, in her own words, was very, _very_ persuasive about the matter.

And the secret was out. But Amy tried to explain that it was just a proposal; it wasn't final yet. That's what Sheldon misunderstood that led them to this predicament.

 _Oh well . . ._ Amy exhaled exhaustedly, snuggling herself even further into the recliner. There's nothing she can do now, isn't there?

She was gently blowing away her hot chocolate when her phone vibrated. The glass table beneath it buzzed like crazy, her phone almost fell to the carpeted floor. She turned it over and a huge smile plastered on her face when the name flashed from the screen.

 _Franklin,_ it showed, flickering.

"Hello, Bub!" she enthusiastically answered, her smile never faded.

_"Hey, Boo Bear!"_

Amy snorted. "Really, Frank? You're calling me that?"

The man on the other line laughed too. _"Yeah, why not?"_

"Hahaha, nothing," she replied defensively. "Are we still go on the 16th?"

_"The very reason for my call. Anyway, All is set, Amy. All you have to do is show up."_

She rolled her eyes while chuckling. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry if last week's a fail. There was a blizzard, for Pete's sake!"

The man on the other line soothed. _"I know, I know. Don't fixate. See ya! Take care, okay? Bye."_

"I'll see you, too! Bye, Frank. Love you!"


	16. Him

A hushed tone slithered its way into his slumber. That soothing-turned-harsh noise rang in his ears in a dreamy, dazy way it would in the middle of his sleep. Awaken by his ringtone, he groaned in fatigue as he saw the caller ID. _Mom_

Just the usual. Mary wanted him to go home for Christmas _blah blah blah,_ attend his nephew's, Noah, 1st birthday _blah blah_ , go to church with the whole family _blah blah blah._ It was a lot to process, given his situation, but fortunately, his mother let him off the hook. Besides, he went home last year's holiday, attended church with them, and practically stood up to become the doctor when his sister gave birth. Not that he wasn't a doctor anyway, but childbirth wasn't exactly his expertise; he's not that kind of doctor.

Relief quickly rushed into him the moment the call ended.

He was lying in bed, still in his pajamas. The feel of the delicate mattress was tempting. So tempting that he'd been lying there, on and off, since Monday. It was Saturday; some might say it is advisable not to do what Sheldon did.

But a certain thought made him leave the security of an inanimate object. An idea he thought his stoic side wouldn't even acknowledge. An underlying fear of how he would accept it and not deny it. _Being alone._

Not a foreign feeling, but being alone now seemed very inapplicable to him, especially that he can now call some people his friends. But not all friends do that, do they? They deliberately planned to take a vacation elsewhere and left him for good. No sympathy for the lone man.

He was sitting at a cold, uncomfortable bench when numerous flights flashed before him in the screens. He was still thinking about where to go. Or whether not to go at all.

Clutching his passport, the idea of being alone became potent. The flashing of the screen in front of him became so violent that he had to close his eyes tightly and hold his throbbing head down. After painful seconds of overwhelming, disruptive thoughts, he opened his eyes. Everything was normal. People walking right passed him, some running. People sitting by themselves, enclosed in their own world.

Then, he realized, these people do not care about his woes, they don't care about his victories. They don't care about him at all. They just coexist. _I'll mind my business, you'll mind your own._ Their personal mantra. That brought a smile on his face, not being in front of the spotlight, especially when he doesn't feel like it.

Still, he couldn't piece together why on earth would he stay behind by himself, at the peak of holidays, locked in his room, when he could be in an adventure that would lead him to different places.

However, he had an impediment to that solution; he doesn't like new places. He despised the feeling of being at the unknown, with the unknown, toward the unknown. It would've been easier if Amy was always by his side, by then, he could act like his usual despite the unknown.

However, he and Amy had gone places. And by places, literally coast to coast, sea to sea, Pacific to Atlantic. Not only that, but their emotions had also gone places, as well, just because of miscommunication.

Firstly, Sheldon knew the repercussions of what Amy revealed to him the night she was drunk. It was a revelation, so shocking that their thinking had gotten itself in a clutter.

The morning after their fight, he went out of bed at dawn. In fact, his thoughts were so bothersome and worrisome that he must have acquired only 2 hours of rest, scattered through the night. Taking a cold shower, followed by dressing for the day, he started to arrange all his bags. All dirty clothes were separated in a canvas bag, his electronics were kept inside his messenger bag. Despite Amy still snoozing her way into the morning (until 8 a.m.), he managed to fold the sheets and comforter on his side of the bed.

When he showed up for breakfast, he was the first one. He waited for a few minutes and, little by little everyone of his group took their seats. They were very restrained, almost to the point where they couldn't even look at him.

At that point, he knew his friends were aware of Amy's plans, and worse, they must have heard about the fight because, in all honesty, Amy's outburst got a little loud and coarse last night. The morning progressed as awkward as it got, only getting more awkward when Amy walked in. On how she knew they were at the restaurant and not traveling back to Pasadena was still a mystery to Sheldon. Everybody cleared their throats deliberately and were suddenly silenced by her arrival. Sheldon's suspicions of his friends knowing everything only proved to get stronger.

As they were resuming with their breakfast, she tried to touch the back of his hand, but Sheldon stressed by his cutting stare that he was having none of it and pulled away from her touch. Amy must have believed that everything would suddenly vanish, as if a poof in the air, through the night, and all is well; apparently, she was nothing but incorrect.

He figured that his actions that morning were harsh and rude, especially when by no means Amy's fault. What he doesn't want to happen was his mind to be muddled with uncertainties brought out by her. If she wants to go, she should, even if his initial thoughts about it was not to let her go.

He understood where she was coming from. An opportunity is an opportunity. Even if it doesn't happen, at least, the prospect of it happening is palpable. Of course, a good, well-meaning opportunity is the most alluring of its kind, but a bad opportunity (or so he perceived about Amy's Dartmouth escapade) still is equally enticing in its own cheeky means.

But what he couldn't understand was why Amy was so persistent about it. It's okay to have the opportunity, but why would she want that? Why would she give in to such a compromisable situation that might endanger their relationship? Even if his disagreement appeared to be a selfish act, in the long run, he was just thinking about how this will affect his relationship with Amy.

The idea of Amy going away was tough to deal with. He first lost her once. Out of her 2-year stay on the east coast, the last 6 months before she went home, they weren't even communicating. The very last thing that he received from Amy was a Christmas greeting that seemed like a computer-generated letter sent to numerous people. He replied to her right away, even though composing a Christmas letter was against all his beliefs. Luckily, Amy replied back, but when he responded again, that was where it all ended. It took him 6 months and having Amy as his date to discover that, all along, she's at Caltech since the beginning of the year.

Evidently, after the recent enlightening trip he had, complaining and ranting to Amy about why their communication suddenly went off was slightly inappropriate, considering that out of all the women he'd met, Amy's at the top of them all. Holding a grudge against her seemed juvenile and taxing.

He always values the relationship that they'd formed through the years. Hearing about this plan of Amy, seemed to trigger something in him. Something revolting and hard to swallow.

It worried him that maybe this will be the end of everything. It was dumb of him to ever consider putting up a joint bank account for him and Amy to manage. It's not about the money he was concerned about—he's got lots of those—nor the chance to brag about having someone to have a joint account, it's about how Amy tricked him to ever consider it in the first place. She moved her way into his mind and heart that led him to decisions that would be unrepresentative of his values. A dumb idea to begin with.

It took him days to recover from that secret. It didn't even matter that they had to take the plane back home because everybody was still feeling the effects of alcohol from the night before; he just wanted to go home. At least in that way, one of the things he's used to the most will not be deprived of him.

For him, the last 12 days of Amy at Caltech went by in a blur. To collect his thoughts, he would wake up really early just to avoid her. By the time he's done preparing, he would go to Penny's to hitch a ride. He would time it with Amy's bedroom door opening so that she would know that he's ignoring her on purpose. He wanted to say something but not unless he had cooled down and thought about it thoroughly. As much as he wanted to indulge in yet another train journey to clear his mind, it wasn't as advisable to his upcoming teaching job that required his presence even weeks before classes—whatever that may be.

So in order to be at Pasadena and still ponder on his decisions quietly, he decided to not communicate with Amy. Sure she wouldn't mind. Amy is the most patient person he had ever met, of course excluding his mother who'd put up with all his crap.

But he was a bagel in a bag of grits when Amy suddenly vanished the weekend she was finished with Caltech. It's not truly her fault, per se. He was having a late dinner, still pondering on how he'll tell Amy when she came out of the blue. She told him she was taking a short vacation to her parents' house over the weekend. Of course he wasn't listening! He was preoccupied with his apology. He just shrugged nonchalantly, face blank, as he was deep in his thoughts.

When Saturday morning rolled in, he was ready by then, to talk about it. He prepared his points he'd like to discuss, and yet she was nowhere to be found.

 _Great! Just great . . ._ That left a sour taste in his mouth. He was ready, for goodness' sake! How would he tell Amy that he's now fine with her going away? How would he tell her that he really was just governed by his inconsiderate, mean side when they were fighting that night and he wanted to apologize? How would he tell her that he liked whenever Amy was always with him. He liked it a lot. He liked her A LOT! And finding out that Amy went away, he felt wronged.

He scampered down into this dark, sunless inferno that led him to believe that he was right and Amy was wrong, after all this time. When she returned Monday daybreak, he did nothing but ignore her. Not just like what he did the first week, where ignoring her was for the greater good, but this one was a full-blown snubbing like Amy was the invisible woman with no intention of ever discussing to her that he was about to give in to what she wanted.

He returned to his routine that Monday morning. Unlike the morning where he woke up earlier to avoid her, he opted to wake up like how he would normally do on workdays. Amy greeted him as he went out of the bathroom, still wearing the clothes she wore when she went home at 5 in the morning, but he stuck with ignoring her.

She suggested that she was willing to drive him to work; he declined, because " _Why would I want to hitch another ride if Leonard's obviously going to the place where I am going?"_ Well, when Amy was still working at Caltech he would ride with Leonard just to avoid her, so, really, his argument contradicted his stance.

It took a week of convincing and eventually Amy giving up on asking him every day. He scoffed in victory. _Alas!_ But not part of his brain seemed to cooperate with his hatred toward her. Instead, it might have won over the logical, apathetic side of him, causing distress.

When Tuesday rolled in, Amy went and made breakfast for the two of them. He was garbed with his suit yet his tie still off, and Amy was wearing her nightgown. It was hard not to ignore her because of the breakfast showcase she had going on in the kitchen. Ignoring the food was pointless because a.) he was running late, and b.) what she made sure was appetizing. They simply ate in silence, his urge to moan at every bite of the omelet was agonizing.

He felt it the Monday Amy returned that she wanted to say something. As though words were her enemy, and she couldn't formulate the better ones. As though something was bothering her, and she couldn't get it off her chest.

Something had been bothering him, too! But Amy was not interested in asking about it. Maybe he came off as stern and adamant right from the beginning that caused Amy to be mortified. Little did she know, he was mortified, too.

He was in the middle of the living room when Amy approached him. She might have noticed that he was struggling with his tie even though he intentionally turned his back to her, prompting her to pop up in front of him.

The urge to decline Amy and make her as miserable as she did to him was so strong. But her tired, bloodshot eyes made him reconsider what he had done. When Amy asked him if she could drive him to work, hesitation overruled him. Outside, he still tried to appear emotionless when he agreed to her offer. But it was exhilarating the way her face contorted as she stifled a smile, trying her best to not appear as delighted as she should.

He turned his back against her again. This time, fishing out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the lone tear that somehow found an escape from his eye, trying to stay as normal as he could as to not raise any suspicions. Suddenly his tear duct had acquired its own brain. _Darn! Why is this happening?!_ With luck on his side, Amy seemed to look past it and scampered to change her clothes.

The next 2 days of him being driven to work had been a hell of a ride. And by _hell_ , it was ear-ringing silent and sometimes a one-sided conversation.

A certain conversation really caught his attention. It was Thursday. He assumed Amy will be gone by Friday since that's what she said to him when they had a fight, this drive will be the last one she'll ever do that week . . . that month . . . maybe even that year.

"Do you know that New Hampshire shares its northern border with Quebec?" she jovially started, but still a bit hesitant.

"I'm aware of that," he politely answered, looking outside, careful not to maintain long eye contact.

"Vermont is also across the river from Hanover, so more maple syrup for me." She chuckled, eyeing him.

He cleared his throat and seriously said, "Good for you."

"It's just a fascinating place, don't you think?" Amy tried to let him think it was.

He just nodded in agreement, striving to be as respectful as he could. He had succumbed to his laconic self and had been a loss for words since the very beginning. Despite her mundane and pointless (he believed that's what she thought otherwise) attempt to spark some stellar conversation, Sheldon thought it was good-natured to do so. Despite its irrelevance to any of his interests, he found it relieving.

Relieved to have known that Amy acknowledged his presence, he still thought she was treating him differently. Relieved that in him lies a person who recognizes small talks that urged either one of them to open up, and frankly, he doesn't mind Amy's attempt at all. Relieved that maybe, just maybe, they can put this all behind them before Amy goes to Dartmouth.

But everything ended there. Amy flew away the next morning, just as soon as he went to work.

Days had been numbing. Weeks had been harrowing. Months had been complicated. Before he knew it, the darkness crept up into his system. With the purpose of not succumbing to yet another episode, he had been trekking up and down the stairs right before dinner and before going to work. Waking up early and showing up tardy at their dinners, proved to be a worthwhile habit that soon spiraled to him suddenly disappearing on morning weekends and appearing 3 hours later with a baggie of food and clothes soaked with sweat.

Sure, it was odd, especially on days where he would turn off his phone and let everybody engage in a thrilling manhunt to defeat time and, possibly, a serial killer with the knack for tall, scrawny men usually walking by themselves. But he knew, they knew, that in the end, he will still go home on time, unscathed and in one piece.

The intention was mainly to give his mind a breather. Things had been bombarding him in unusual ways. Having a newly appointed role as a professor—a rather aberrant task—led him to take a step back. And by taking a step back meant him walking for days that he could.

* * *

He had been sitting at the center of the bustling LAX for a bare minimum of 4 hours. Still, no destination at the top of his head. It's a wonder why airport security hadn't escorted the lanky, weird man hanging around the departure area. Maybe if he stayed a little bit longer, hulking, terrifying men in black will drag him out of the premises.

The fear of men in black seemed absurd. He returned back to his planning about where to go. Just a few feet from him, an array of screens were suspended at the vestibule of the terminal where he stayed. Real-time, flights were being displayed, as well as their status and their respective terminals and gates, and were constantly changing by the minute.

_ATL. JFK. MCO. DFW. IAH. SFO. MIA. PHT. CLT. PHL. LGA. SLC. TPA. PDX. CLE._

A lot of options for a man who has got a lot of time. He saw a flight to Honolulu transformed its status from _boarding_ to _take off_ , and then disappeared from the screen, only to be replaced by a flight to Halifax. When a flight disappears from the screen, a new one appears at the very end of the roster. Domestic and international flights alike swarmed the screen like flies feeding on decayed material. It happened for minutes on end. He estimated that planes took off in 5-minute intervals preceding its predecessor.

A specific flight caught his eye. With nearly 200 destinations flashing at an abrupt speed, the letters _BOS_ displayed at the very end. Of course he had seen a Boston flight numerous times and still hadn't thought about it much, but the recently added Boston flight to the list takes off an estimate of 3 and a half hours from now.

A light bulb flickered! A better idea than any he had done in the past.

Before anything else, he quickly scanned the airline's website, searching with vigor for that specific flight number. And sure enough, it does offer a connection to a more precise state he'd like to go to.

A small smile crept in his face. Without wasting any second, he scrambled for his luggage, almost tripping over his messenger bag, checked his passport and wallet with sweaty hands, and ran for his life, still clutching his iPad in one hand.


	17. Baby, It's Cold Outside

"How ya, Dr. Fowler!" A man greeted her as she opened the door. It was rare to have someone knocking this early.

"Oh, Dr. O'Neill, to what do I owe this early morning visit?" Amy replied, observing her Irish, biochemist colleague that seemed out of breath. His chest was rising shallowly, keeping his hands on his hips.

Out of breath, he pointed with his thumb. "There's a lad outside, wanted me to call Amy. Yer the only Amy I know. I guess he's a pal?"

Amy raised her eyebrow in confusion "A man?" she asked in disbelief. "Did he tell you his name, Conor?" This time, Amy went out and locked the door behind her. She was about to eat outside anyway and buy her provisions for the week, hence it wasn't a bother.

Conor shook his head as he hissed. "I don't think so. The lad's shiverin', I have me coat on him, though. Tall, tall lad, 'pletely knackered. I was supposed to go out to meet someone and there he was waitin' outside. It's friggin' cold, I don't want him to die."

They exchanged an apologetic laugh as they were nearing the stairs.

As far as her knowledge of people in the state, there's only one man that would frequent her in her apartment. Naturally, that man had been living in New Hampshire for almost a decade now, a self-proclaimed expert on the state, especially the weather. And hearing about him without his winter coat on seemed a bizarre phenomenon.

It piqued her interest more when she asked for a description: tall man, medium-length hair with the sides touching the helix of his ear and the top strands sticking on his forehead, and a half-half dark blue and gray windbreaker that was soaking wet.

Right off the bat, her assumptions of the identity of the man waiting immediately dissipated, only to be replaced by the image of another man whom she hadn't seen in months. _Sheldon._ What is he doing here? Why would he not tell her that he was going? Maybe he was lost and something? She was expecting him to spend the holidays with his family in Texas, and now he's here.

She knew that their friends will be vacationing on Christmas day, but they promised her that they will go home for New Year's in case Sheldon decides to stay home for the holidays.

As they turned to the last flight of stairs, the image of the man sat in the chair with a thick coat engulfing him emerged behind the glass swing door. He must have heard the echoes coming from the empty stairwell as he had his eyes glued to whoever was coming down. His back was hunched over the chair, forearms pressing on the wood of the armchair, trying his best to keep his body heat enclosed. The very description given by Conor was spot on. But this time he's less wet and less shivering as he was inside, keeping himself warm.

Amy pushed the door to the lobby and approached the man, all the while taking off her coat and switched it with Conor's.

Conor asked as he accepted back his jacket, "Ya know him, Amy?"

Amy nodded. "Yes, Conor. Thank you so much. And I'm so sorry to bother you," she smiled politely, still fusing over the through and through Texan unaccustomed to winter and a coat's role to aid in cold places. _Good Lord, Sheldon, I thought you were a genius._

"My pleasure, Amy. Take care!" Conor excused himself, scurrying out the building in haste.

"You too. Have a nice day!"

Amy sighed at the spectacle. It's like Sheldon was a traveler whose flight had been canceled several times and, practically, made himself comfortable living in the airport. But in this case, he's at the lobby of her apartment, soaking wet and disheveled. He only got a small, dry suitcase with him, lying carelessly on the floor, with his limp messenger bag douse with snow that eventually turned into water.

She helped him get up, hustling his only suitcase and handing the messenger bag to his clasped hands. The rarely used elevator rumbled into life and they were inside. Amy put out the ID card that, at the behest of her superior, she carries all the time to access everything in the university and her apartment building.

Slowly, they traversed the hallway, each step was agonizing for both of them. Once inside her forgotten apartment, she sat him at the chair she'd been indulging herself in since yesterday.

The heavily lit apartment revealed his condition. His eyes were dilated, darkened bags sagging beneath. Ears, nose, cheeks, and fingers were reddened, near crimson and might have been frostnip. And his skin was ghastly, almost like life had been sucked out of him.

She noticed that Sheldon had 2 windbreakers—his only 2 windbreakers—wrapped beneath the coat that she covered him with. Both were soaking wet; he must have been outside for a long time because it was the rain that woke her up. His lips were chapped to the point where blood had dried like a red rivulet trimming the banks of his bluish lips. He must have taken the weather for granted for him to experience this intense cold.

It's not to say that he deserved it, but Amy hoped he learned a lesson from this experience: always use your noggin'.

Sheldon's arrival had been untimely. But she can't just leave him there and escape, can she? First off, it's her 'house,' and second, this was her chance! Should she ask how was he doing? S-Should she inquire about the 'teaching gig', as he'd always liked to put it? Or maybe about what happened to him and why he was here?

A lot of questions floated. Amy was too caught up in thinking when she realized she was in the bathroom. _What am I going here? I already took a bath,_ she thought to herself as she clicked her tongue disappointedly. But as soon as she was about the exit the bathroom, a small voice whispered to her _, Sheldon_ , as anyone in her situation would help him.

She quickly turned the knob in the bathtub at her _aha_ moment. Steaming water came rushing down to the bathtub and started to do its job of filling it. In the meantime, she returned to find Sheldon dozing off at her La-Z-boy, apparently figured out how to recline it, and use the patterned blanket she left at the table, neatly folded. Upon reaching him, it took a mere second to convince him to take a warm, lulling bath.

He did something very unusual. He did a series of definitely unusual things. Without taking Amy's presence into account, he meticulously stripped off his clothes, down to the last piece of fabric. She had to take away her eyes off him—not too obvious, though—at the very last minute, because he simply decided no one would mind seeing him naked. However, that didn't spare her to seeing a lot. The very sight of his abdominal flesh instinctively signaled her to look away.

The second thing was, he disregarded the exact temperature of the water. Amy had to look back at him again, careful not to leer at his barely submerged body that even the slight bit of water couldn't distort the vivid image and submerged the tips of her fingers to felt the temperature. She twisted the knob to make it a tad colder. Such a surprise that Sheldon's not yelping in the scalding water, even with his genitals submerged.

To break the tension, she asked, "Have you eaten yet?" She wasn't looking at him still.

"Only a protein bar and a bottle of water," he replied, emotionless. It didn't take him too long to make himself comfortable in the bath.

"I've got chocolate pudding and onions in the fridge. You pick one, alright?" she quipped, trying her hand at humor.

Sheldon seemed to like it as he groaned and then laugh faintly at the realization of the joke. "I'll take the chocolate pudding, please."

She stood up and held the metal doorknob, "I'll leave you for a while. I'm buying breakfast."

* * *

She returned home to Sheldon sleeping in the bathtub. His long body prevented him from sliding down too much at the chest-deep water, which was a relief to know that he didn't drown. She woke him up, poking her finger on his bare shoulder, and helped him up. Retrieving a towel from her drawer, she handed it to him and let him do the job.

At one point, he even joked about wrapping the towel around his body, like what most women would do, oblivious of the fact that anyone who would be the same height as a child would undoubtedly be face to face with his junk. Luckily, Amy had no one with a height of 4 feet and under living with her.

Amy realized that's one thing she missed about living under the same roof with Sheldon. All those quips and quirks that made him who he is, notwithstanding Amy gossiping about the things he usually does when he's alone.

Now she was more at ease to have seen him regain his color and look more alert. She missed that in him.

He clothed with whatever he brought from California, mismatching clothes to pants, disrupting the schedule he had back home. They went and had breakfast on Amy's minute 2-seater dining table, silent as both were starving from the delayed breakfast.

Before she went out to buy breakfast, Amy rummaged through his suitcase: 3 t-shirts, 5 raglan shirts, 2 white undershirts, 2 pairs of briefs, a plaid green pajama pants, a pair of socks, a pair of pants, and that 2 windbreakers he had overlaid to warm himself. Maybe 2 and a half days worth of wear.

Much for a man who gets neurotic whenever he's vacationing and there aren't enough clothes to wear, his choice of packed clothing wasn't well thought out.

Amy surmised that he's staying with her, but she couldn't guess from his clothes for how long, and none of his clothes were suitable for winter. Her only solution was to bring him out to shop for appropriate clothes, or else, he would be cooped up in her apartment, and chances are he would later decline to the cold. No one would want that, especially when she has a trip in 2 days and has no clue if bringing Sheldon would be the right thing to do.

* * *

Sheldon was grateful that that man discovered him before he would succumb to hypothermia. He got complacent about the weather and, frankly, his decision to fly in New Hampshire was last minute hence he didn't have any clothes to battle the winter. Nor did he have the brains to piece out the relationship of December and New England together. He got excited, that is.

He waited outside the door, with the roof overhang hardly protecting him from the snow but not from the chilly wind. It took 30 minutes for someone to emerge from the building. The first one overlooked him, but the second one thankfully acknowledged him.

His first thought when he arrived in front of Amy's apartment building was to call her. But he wanted it to be a surprise. And besides, calling her at 6 in the morning seemed inconsiderate. He'd changed some of his ways, and one of them was being lenient when it comes to Amy.

Also, one thing to point out about why he was soaking wet was the absence of friction in the concrete. As he was walking on the sidewalk towards her building, he'd lost his footing, catapulting him onto the freshly plowed pile of snow on the lawn. He landed face down, hence the wet clothes, and somehow busted his right shoe open, his big toe and beyond, almost, to his heel revealed in a tear that inevitably made his sock wet. He was fine but he felt quite a sting in his right ankle. However, he soldiered through to reach the building.

Still, that didn't urge him to call his wife.

And then, as soon as he took cover at the front of the building, it started sleeting. He got wetter and somewhat harmed from the combination of liquid and small ice pellets that was hitting his makeshift shield in the form of his empty messenger bag. He made sure everything he owned was transferred inside his suitcase and lodged at the corner where it wouldn't get wet.

He was very close to calling 911 if it weren't for the second man. The arrival of the man with an accent—probably Scottish or Irish or maybe a New England accent; the disorientation from the cold failed him to distinguish the truth—was unexpected. Fortunately, the man knew Amy and was kind enough to keep him warm by lending his coat and welcoming him in their no-brainer lobby.

When he saw Amy, he nearly burst into tears, but exhaustion and being on the brink of hypothermia put an end to it. She looked wonderful even with a worried look on her face. Her hair cascaded just above her shoulders, not the haircut she sported when she left; it was much longer back then. She was layered in cloth beyond he expected. Well, everyone he'd come across in New Hampshire had donned unappealing, thick clothes.

Even her concern was inexplicable. She didn't talk to him for over 15 minutes; she practically bore him in her shoulders as she maneuvered through the secured building. An offer of chocolate pudding was thoughtful; the onions, not so much.

He fell into a deep slumber in the chest-deep water, slowly rejuvenating his worn-out body. Amy woke him up on what felt like a lifetime after, about 45 minutes after she put him to the bathtub.

Sitting down at the foot of her bed, full as a tick, neat as a pin, and warm as toast, he waited as Amy rummage through her closet. Still, he doesn't know the motivation as to why he needed to witness that. She sighed in resignation and looked at the drawer behind him. She opened the bottom drawer, retrieved an oversized rust-colored puffer jacket, and handed it to him.

"Whose jacket is this?" he asked, his eyes following Amy as she crossed in front of him.

"Mine," she answered sheepishly, tucking out the hair that had been caught in her shoulder bag.

"Yours?" He checked it out at arm's length. "It's oddly large and long for you," he responded, wearing it in out swoosh and feeling the fit.

"It's someone else's, Sheldon," she snapped softly, turning her face into him, prompting him immobilized. "I'm guessing that you will be staying here for a while?" He nodded. "We're buying you some winter garments. You can't live with the clothes you've brought, you'll be frozen by the end of the day," she added. "Can we go in peace?"

He nodded, puzzled by her behavior.

They drove for 15 minutes, leaving the edifices of Hanover for trees. It's unusual to be sandwiched between birch and beech and occasional sugar maple, as Amy later revealed. A short portion of the ride revealed the Connecticut River flowing on his side of the road, a dam cut through the water across to the snow-covered Vermont land. The bank on the other side mirrored the tree-laden slope of his side.

Amy parked at a shopping complex in West Lebanon, teeming with department stores, and restaurants, and pharmacies, and services. She parked fronting the department store, a few parking spaces away, just to ensure that he will be walking less in his busted shoe and sprained ankle.

More often than not, he or his mother was allowed to do the shopping for him, but this time, he let Amy in charge. She picked out the clothes that he'll be needing, although some of them he couldn't figure out their purpose, and he was in charge of paying.

 _Classic,_ he thought as he watched his card being swiped at the cashier, amounting to almost his share of the monthly rent. All of his clothes changed from head to toe, but he convinced her to wear his usual ¾ shirt underneath his not-so-ordinary superhero t-shirt, a quilted sweatshirt, a hooded down jacket, and a pair of ankle-high snow boots—the right one felt snug as Amy wrapped his ankle in compression wrap beforehand—that Amy insisted he should take 2 but debated against it.

He felt like a new man with a new identity, almost like being in the witness protection program, because, as humiliating as it could be, he was also subjected to buy undergarments. Apparently, Amy was snooping inside his bag and told him that he should buy more "panties," as she put it.

They went home a different route again, crossing the bridge with its snowy, rusted railings, the river peeking again on his side of the road. Amy said they were in Vermont. Well, geographically, he couldn't tell the difference between New Hampshire as the other side of the river and Vermont on the other. The only give away was two consecutive green and white signages that says, "State Line: Entering Vermont," and "Welcome to Vermont: The Green Mountain State." Other than that, everything seemed foresty and wintery on either side.

He helped Amy out with everything, hauling every clothing that he, technically, bought for himself and some of the shopping bags Amy filled with groceries for the week and for the upcoming trip she had that he knew nothing about. He was limping but he did anyway.

As they were putting away bag after bag of food, necessities, and clothes, Amy put up the question, "I've been avoiding this all day: how did you get here and what are you doing here?"

He stopped folding the new and strange clothes he acquired. "I rode 2 planes," he started giddily, gazing at Amy who was busy in the counter. "The other one was frightening, though. I thought they were bringing me to Lebanon, in the Middle East; it took a few people to explain that the plane is bound for Lebanon, New Hampshire. Apparently, it's the closest airport in Dartmouth. It's a Cessna plane with 9 seats. I barely had any room for my feet. But I get to sit behind the pilot, so that was, at least, reassuring to know that he's pushing the right buttons." He stood up and left his chore. "And for your second question, I was just visiting," he shrugged, appearing so innocent.

Amy cocked her head. "In winter?"

"Yes . . ." His response was prolonged. Keeping eye contact with Amy was harder than he thought; she still had that effect on him.

"As far as I know, you're not a winter guy," she insisted.

"Can't you see the beauty outside? I am drawn to this place!" he declared, feigning fascination at the winter build-up as seen from Amy's third-floor apartment.

Amy stopped and looked at him smugly. "Sheldon, we both know you rarely go to places that have below-freezing temperatures. The last frigid place I know you've been to was the Arctic. And even that you said you didn't set foot outside, except from when you arrived there, when you had to go home, and that 20 seconds the guys were horsing around and pushing you outside the door."

"I had a feeling that they were serious with locking me out of our living quarters," he shrugged. "And I did say that to you. I hate freezing places."

"Then, why are you here?" she asked genuinely.

He sighed in resignation. "I was led to believe, through eavesdropping Penny that one time you called, that you were planning on staying here for the holiday festivities. I-I just wanted to accompany you here." Drawing circles in the counter, he held his head down in embarrassment.

"That's not necessary." She shook her head and continued emptying the shopping bag.

"And I know it's your birthday on the 17th," he added, eager to convince her.

"I do have people to accompany me, don't worry," she assured, and then realized, "How did you know about my birthday?"

"You told me," he said in confidence.

The confidence seemed not effective as Amy furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did," he defended, twitching once at his lie.

"Sheldon . . ." she chided, abandoning the loaded egg carton.

He moaned and puffed his chest. "Fine. I did some snooping the second time we met. At the Griffith Observatory, you let me hold your purse while you were in the bathroom. Even though we've been talking for 3 months, I still had to find some ID in you; the scrupulous quest to find information about you on the Internet was lacking. Thankfully, I did or else we wouldn't be in this situation," he admitted. "And to be fair, my birthday is on February 26, just so you know."

"You already told me that," she stated, followed by a hiss of disappointment. "But I wouldn't be here on the 17th."

It was Sheldon's turn to be confused. "Where are you going?"

"I told you, I have some people to accompany me, both on my birthday and Christmas."

He stopped and stammered, "C-Can I accompany you?"

"Uhh . . . let's see what I can do." Amy looked at her watch. She diverted the topic. "It's 10 minutes past 11. How about you rest first you've been up since yesterday."

Sheldon was roused to the muffled voice coming from the living room. As in every unusual place, he was bewildered at the place, only realizing that he was in New Hampshire and had been in Amy's apartment since morning. Light streamed from the windows but doesn't seem so powerful. _It's winter,_ the genius in him realized as an amount of snow perched at the window grilles, gently melting at the sunlight, peeked at their position.

He stood up from the bed. The voice was still going and going, but he couldn't decipher the conversation. He gazed at the alarm clock on the nightstand. _4:15._ He had been sleeping for over 5 hours. _Wow, what a sleep!_ With the red-eye he took from LA to Boston and the subsequent morning hours he spent staying awake and waiting for his 5 a.m. flight to New Hampshire, it's no wonder why it took him 5 hours to replenish all his energy.

He opened the door to the last part of the conversation. 2 words caught his attention. _Love you,_ said Amy as she sat at the wooden bar stool, facing away from him. As soon as her call ended, she swiveled the chair to his direction.

"Who were you talking to?" he closed the door behind him and stood stock.

"Someone," she answered nonchalantly, even happy about the possibility of dropping the L-bomb to someone.

It might have been the sleep drunkenness in his system, but his hearing was perfectly functioning. He heard that. He heard the word.

Lethargy was still evident in his face, but emotions weren't. He approached Amy, ensuring that he keeps a respectable distance between them, as he was about to be overpowered by his eagerness to know what the hell was that.

"Do you say you love someone on a daily basis?" He approached even further, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Huh? What are you saying?" she replied, flustered.

Sheldon had a feeling that Amy turned a blind eye on what he was saying. She must have known what he was talking about. _She's clearly faking this._

"I was just curious if you say those to, I don't know, every person that you encounter," he hinted, stepping once.

"You heard?" she responded, as though acting like she didn't do it on purpose.

Sheldon huffed and yelped, "People from across the street heard it, Amy," pointing to the other side with the sway of his hands. Clearly, he was overcome with unwanted emotions.

Her eyebrows furrowed as her jaw tightened. He didn't notice, but Amy's shoulders rose up and down rapidly. Gaudily, she groaned. Knowing where this was going, she stood up from her seat and grabbed ahold of her coat. "I'm going out," she responded in gritted teeth.

He remained unmoved by Amy's sudden movement toward him. He felt her shoulders hitting his forearm, but she just walked past him. He pivoted in his feet. "Why? So that you can meet with your lover? Is he the man with the auburn hair that loaned me the coat?"

Instead of an answer, what he got was the blaring sound of the door slamming and followed by stillness.


	18. Warm Me

"Were you satiated by your lover?" He raised his eyebrow as Amy entered the bedroom. With his rested, full, and cozy self in the only bed, he had to ask the question.

It had been 3 hours since Amy's disappearance. And she had the confidence to strut inside as if nothing happened. He watched her, her face still blank, walk across the room. When those words burst from his mouth, she transformed into something more smug and vile. He felt like he will be eaten alive.

"Strip," she demanded, smirking but severe. She eyed him like a predator to its prey. Seeing that he's in his pajamas, in bed, indulged in his readings, he more likely appeared as a vulnerable prey to Amy's violent predator.

However, her expressions, although unmistakable, were still cryptic that the brilliant in him couldn't decode. Was she angry? Or maybe sad? Does she have a knife behind her back that would likely be the prime weapon in his devastating murder? Sure, Amy hadn't welcomed her murderous side, but considering all the mean things he'd done to her in the past—both 3 months ago and 3 hours ago—it wouldn't be a surprise if Amy had had enough of it.

She shot another look at him and then said, "I'll be back in 5," storming off to the bathroom.

 _She'll be back in 5,_ he contemplated, _5 what? Seconds, minutes, or maybe hours?_ It baffled him. But Amy always surprises him with what she can do and what she can accomplish. Sheldon just clicked his tongue and continued reading his ScienceDaily newsletter. _Oh, Amy, you're silly._

Amy's emergence was a long time coming. With only her robe, the collar where the sides of the cloth meet plunged down to her cleavage, displaying the soft skin of her midriff in a V pattern, she pranced out of the bathroom like a poised ballerina. Sheldon could see that she was naked from the waist up, her nipples were penetrating through the velvet cloth. From the waist down, though, he couldn't tell; it would be disrespectful to stare that long.

Despite the coveted scenery, he just shrugged and returned to his reading. _Oh well . . . maybe she left her change of clothes._ Instead, he felt Amy approach him, her presence was strong in her own ways. Still, he wouldn't notice her.

The harsh yanking motion of the comforter against his pajama-clad legs was a dead giveaway. _Swoosh . . . thud._ In time, his fight-or-flight response pinged, leaning himself further into the headboard in a futile attempt to flee. Shockingly, there was nothing there to help him.

He looked up at her and asked, rattled, "Amy, what is this?!" He put his hand in his chest in shock.

"What is what?" Amy replied innocently.

She then stretched her leg over his thighs and plopped down his groin area. Sheldon blurted out a muffled moan, a mixture of pain and inexplicable pleasure.

"Umm . . . A-Amy," he muttered as Amy motioned her hips that almost made his eyeballs rollback. _Good Lord! What is that?!_

Amy grinned almost devilishly. "I believe you're aware of this."

Without waiting, she dove into him, her lips getting in contact with his. The first few seconds startled him, with eyes so wide and holding his breath. She guided her tongue inside his mouth in a seductive manner. At first, it was a hard battle to succeed. He was protesting softly against her kisses but didn't have the power to push her away.

 _Oh, Lord!_ he thought as his breath hitched. He never thought he'd kiss someone this passionate. And for goodness' sake, his body was reacting to it against his will.

Amy had a tight grip on his shoulders as she continued their steamy kiss. A certain movement from Amy prompted the change. She rolled her hips against her groin, ran her finger lightly at the helix of his ear and bit his lower lip, almost pulling on it gently.

Good Lord, indeed. At that tiny but revolutionizing set of movements, he melted, Sheldon loosened his body. It felt like being deflated. He cocked his head, meeting her kisses flawlessly. His hands snaked on her velvety waist, the cloth covering her body resembled nothing like the robe he used an hour ago. Now, he's got the memory of this night to remember when he sees Amy with this robe.

She pulled harshly with the wet sound of their lips separating. "Would I do this to you if I had a lover?" She lifted her hips a little, still leering at him fervently, and caressed Sheldon through his pants.

Another moan elicited from him. "Oh!"

The provocative question was still hanging. He shook his head rapidly, doe-eyed and disoriented, as Amy continued with her hips. _No, you wouldn't do this to anyone!_ he thought, barely matching Amy's heated stare.

Really, he couldn't understand anything she said before asking about something. The only thing he took from that was the word lover. And between Amy's gyrating hips and magical hands against his tenting manhood, and the word lover—the word he utilized as a way of finding out if she had a different man other than him—shaking his head was the only response he could muster. He doesn't know if it corresponds to yes or no.

Amy laughed seductively and dove in again. But this time, she was much slower. He can feel her exhale against his mouth, only to share an inhale, and then exhale again. She ran her palms on his chest, unbuttoning every button and revealing his white shirt underneath. _You're still the same, Sheldon_. Sheldon stiffened at the sudden contact. With Amy continuing kissing him and him enjoying it, her hand slipped inside his white shirt, his abdomen contracting, almost writhing at the heat from her palm.

He tasted her mouth. He tasted it in this order: An overpowering mint flavor, presumably from her toothpaste, punching him inside; followed by an equally powerful but carelessly concealed coffee taste lingering at the tip of her tongue; and catch it before you breathe was, presumably, an overly sweet confectionary lurking near her throat.

With the little space between his head and the headboard, he pulled away, retreating from her kiss. Breathing heavily, he stared at Amy's eyes, pleasure prevailed as her robe tie was unloosened and what tiny sliver of skin awhile back became what made her torso. He'd never seen the nakedness of a woman before, and the first time seemed to prove that, after all his assumptions, his primal virility was fully functional.

He reddened at the carnal sight. With how close Amy was being, it made him squint his eyes just to get a good look at her. _Wow . . ._ Mesmerizing and a bit terrifying, not by the bare body of Amy but of the prospect of intimacy with her that he long disregarded through the months.

It would be a lie if he didn't appreciate his wife, but it felt disrespectful to look at her that way. He was raised to respect every woman. And Amy was a woman he deeply admired.

"Amy," he wailed, turning his head to the side to avoid staring at her. But he thought it was a bad idea when he felt Amy's lips lapping his exposed neck. It caused him to shiver throughout his body.

"What?" she whispered in a spine-chilling, arousing manner. He felt the air on his ear as Amy breathed on it and pulled away. A faint moan escaped from his mouth, unbeknownst to him.

She retreated again, gaping at the struggling Sheldon. He was biting his upper lip. Amy rubbed her palms on top of his white shirt. When she reached his navel, his abdomen tensed. What made him red, made him even redder when he felt Amy's palm coiled its way beneath the shirt, bare and cold.

"Do you have something to say?" she asked, rubbing circles in his stomach.

Sheldon shook his head. However awkward it may be—with his back against a pillow that was against the headboard—he felt weightless at the interaction. As though he was floating while Amy rode him. It was safe to say that she was in control.

The pleasure got more intense as he felt her hand dropped down. Her hand snaked its way inside his pants. Amy continued leaving kisses on his neck but her hand appeared to have a mind of its own. He felt it as Amy slowly carried her own body to pull away from the fabric that was covering his skin. She dragged his pants enough for her to see him in his glory and stuck it in his knees. His penis, also with a mind of its own, tented in a semi-erection. He was certain he got a glimpse of Amy smirking.

 _Uh oh._ Sheldon protested, using his arms to lift his body as he retreated into the headboard further. It may look like his body was rejecting but his mind was thinking otherwise. _That feels magic,_ he grumbled deeply as he felt her swipe her finger at his head. He heard a haughty _hmm_ from Amy followed by a tiny, beguiling laugh.

"Are we going to have sex, Amy?!" he whined as he watched Amy return back to her position on his groin, now only her panties were the only barrier.

She kissed him again, with no protest from him whatsoever. Grinding herself with nothing but a thin cloth, brought unusual feelings within him. She muttered against his mouth, "No."

"Then what are we doing?!" he replied back inaudibly as Amy's tongue rendered him mute.

She pulled away, their noses touching. "We're simply playing a game, Sheldon."

 _A game? Is this some kind of sex game? Maybe this was what foreplay meant,_ he thought to himself, still gazing at her incredulously.

"What kind of game?"

"No need to think about it. Just sit back and I'll take care of you, _Darlin',_ " she whispered in an alluring manner. She tapped her hand on his chest. Electricity yielded everywhere her palm land. _Oh, what magic it is._

 _Darlin!_ He liquified at the earnest call, again with his eyeballs rolling. What she did next had his head spinning in circles. With her delicate palm, she enveloped him in her hand, contouring his girth and admiring his length.

Before she actually started with anything, her grasp loosened and she whispered in his ear softly, "Do you want me to stop?"

He opened his eyes, shook his head, and closed them back as he leaned and groaned, "No."

A short gasp came out of Sheldon, he retreated his head back onto the headboard, pressing his neck to the cushioned panel. Despite his eyes closed, he can feel Amy's longing stare at him as she pumped him slowly. The way her hand glided flawlessly against his skin was titillating. The slippery feeling was either the first evidence of his arousal or presumably a lubricant Amy had brought from her excursion. However, he couldn't care less, he was inundated with pleasure.

Still, Amy continued on keeping him captive between her thighs, her hand was the only barrier between his and her body touching each other. He felt the soaked flimsy fabric rubbing against his left thigh purposely, as though Amy's thrusting herself into him. But all of it couldn't explain the pleasure brought upon him.

His ordeal could not be topped by anything. Amy's bringing him inexplicable gratification that was overpowering his brilliant mind. Unable to let go, his hands were clutching her hips, almost to the point of her skin reddening. While her right hand was occupied with stroking him up and down and up and down, her other hand weaved inside his shirt and started drawing circles in his right nipple.

His body shivered.

She shuffled on top of him, sliding down his legs. He felt a warm, and damp thing engulf the tip of his manhood. _Oh, what fresh hell was that?!_ He popped open his eyes and saw Amy crawling back with a sly grin on her face. He didn't want to know what happened, but he knew exactly what that was. Thinking about it, it only triggered his urge to finish. Like nothing happened, Amy returned to straddling his thigh, and like a magnet, her hand clung to his shaft.

"Ooooh!" Another moan escaped as he was nearing oblivion. Without any thought, Sheldon jutted his hip high up, thrusting some more. Amy knew what to do and only encouraged it. She jerked him off fervently as her osculation persisted.

Sheldon was unexpectedly vocal. His sought after release erupted came seconds later. Right then and there, he cried a booming moan as his hips uncontrollably quivered, crisp as a call for help. He felt his manhood twitch like never before as he fought to inhale every oxygen molecule in the air. Amy's touch never faltered; she did him until the last drop erupted, which took minutes. It was strong and vigorous unlike ever before.

He panted deeply, again and again as he heard a rustling sound in the background. The literal and figurative weight lifted away from his body. Sheldon's erratic breathing continued on and on as he closed his eyes, his lips trembled with each hiccup-like breath. Sweat beaded all over his body, a tiny wet elongated patch soaked his white shirt. He can feel something moist rubbing all over his body like something had been wiped.

 _What was that?!_ he thought to himself. That was indeed out of this world. His groans continued even though he already reached his orgasm.

Featherlike touches ran down his neck and chest as he felt Amy's body near him again. She was standing at the side of the bed. With his ears ringing, he can hear words being whispered to him that his brain wouldn't discern. Like every man, what was brought upon him incapacitated his mental faculties. It was left in the air with only Amy knowing about it. Those words weren't really the top priority at that moment.

He couldn't open his eyes for a long time; the ability to breathe was more important than his ability to see. When he did, he saw the distorted image of a woman walking away from him. It took a while to come back to himself, realizing what recently happened and who he did it with. He was still descending from his high.

What he wanted all night was just to curl up in her bed and read a little to numb himself to sleep. Amy allowed him to have a nap on her bed that afternoon, so it would be selfish of her if she wouldn't share it with him that night. But it seemed like Amy had other plans. Plans that she, and eventually he, found gratifying to cap off the night.

By all means, he's no fool; he knew exactly what happened. He'd done it with himself to perfect shooting his semen inside a cup that one time he and Leonard needed to masturbate for money. Not only that but he'd read about the benefits of masturbating and was convinced of its efficiency to ward off certain illnesses. Obviously, once a month of fondling himself was below the suggested amount of fondling, which was more than what he could handle, but it became a ritual of him to do it on every 3rd Saturday of the month.

Those sessions didn't kill him though, it simply made him relieved and a bit tired. But when Amy did it to him, Sheldon was sure he was on the brink of passing out.

He can see the figure coming back now from the bathroom. Her robe was tightly clasped on her waist. As for him, his checkered blue and black pajama top was unbuttoned, his white undershirt revealed. He's like a sweaty trucker resting at a truck stop, hoping to have some ribs on the gas station diner. The lower half was the explicit, R-rated one. His pajama pants were stuck to his knee, alongside with his night briefs, revealing what's left of his limp shaft.

Unlike his blurry vision seconds ago, he can clearly see with his two very eyes the woman responsible for his heinous act. He reddened as Amy stood stock at the door frame, their eyes locked together astonishingly. With the remaining strength that he had, he stood up—faster than usual, causing his vision to swirl—wrestled with wearing back his pants, all the while trudging his spent body into the bathroom and locking himself in.

He looked at his shaken and pasty self. Stained circles were visible both in his white shirt but mostly on the edges of his pajama bottoms and shirt. Clearly a sign of what happened and Amy's effort of removing the thick, sticky liquid but not the stain it left.

Cold water ran down his neck as he washed his face in the sink. He grabbed the towel and rubbed his face harshly, but with every passing minute, he slowed down. As much as he wanted to return back and confront Amy, the body was not willing. As luck would have it, another door in Amy's bathroom leads to a small laundry room with another connection out to the living room via an archway.

Brushing his teeth, his usual habit of doing everything twice was overlooked. He can't even recognize his face anymore as it was so difficult to comprehend at that time.

He wished her apartment had 2 bedrooms, that way he can sleep in peace after that humiliating encounter. However, the sole bedroom gave privacy for both of them to recover and think about their rendezvous.

He dragged his jelly legs to the living room and plopped himself onto Amy's beloved La-Z-boy. The barely 5 feet loveseat was another option, but he would rather have the entirety of his body touching a mattress rather than having only to curl up on one side. That would cause even more back pain.

Pondering on how the hell was he so sleepy at 9 in the evening, time flew by and he dropped into a post-orgasm deep slumber.


	19. Say You're Sorry

The aroma coming from the neighboring kitchen tickled the tip of his nose. At first, he thought his mother was cooking breakfast for him. Considering his rejection of her offer to come home for Christmas, she, instead, brought the whole family in Pasadena to celebrate it with him.

But it wasn't the case.

From the moment he laid eyes on that unfamiliar place, a surge of unfamiliar feelings came rushing into him. His back was aching. His legs were numb. His torso was rigid. He had a localized pain in his neck that suggested that it was either hit or took pressure from something hard. He looked around and saw a woman occupied in the kitchen.

With the minimalist analog clock hanging above the fake-looking fireplace, it displayed a few minutes past 8 a.m. He had slept for almost 12 hours and yet it appeared like his body was worse for wear.

He stood up, groaning at the muscle pain from his unlikely sleeping position. When he saw Amy noisily washing in the sink, a gush of memories from last night hit him in his noggin'. Blood rushed to his head, and he was furious.

He stomped his way into the counter separating the living room and the kitchen.

"AMY, WHAT WAS THAT!?" he confronted through gritted teeth. Arms akimbo, his hands clutched his pajama top tightly as he began breathing heavily.

Amy closed the tap and wiped her hands on the towel, acting like she didn't hear anything.

"Talk to me," he demanded, following her as she sat down on the dining table with her plate and mug.

He stopped in front of her and cried, "Amy, why wouldn't you say anything?!"

"Because if I say something, things will escalate," she snapped at him but it was quickly followed with remorse.

He scoffed. "Like what you did to me last night?! You took advantage of me!" He loosened his hold on his shirt but begun to clenched his fists on his sides. At the onset, he felt betrayed. Anger lingered in next, but the betrayal seemed more detrimental.

Amy's calm demeanor altered. She never wanted to feel this but she had no way out. "I took advantage of you?! You didn't tell me to goddamn stop!" she exploded. "No! You seemed to enjoy it like a sexed-up horndog!"

He groaned. "I'm a sexed-up horndog?! How about you with your beguiling wiles. You're the sexed-up horndog!"

"I won't tolerate that kind of talk from anyone," she stressed out, leering at him over her hooded eyes.

Sheldon sat in front of her in surrender. He slumped his shoulders and was containing his emotions. "Why did you let me do that, Amy? You know I love you!" he wailed, flailing his hands in the arms like he was exhausted. He leaned in and confronted, "Why did you let me do that!"

Amy matched him. "Why did you let me do that?!"

"Because I love you!"

Amy huffed and squared her jaw. "Not because you love someone, you would be willing to be that intimate with her," she responded bitingly.

It's true. Amy always believed that sex should be not used to get your way or prove something. And yet she displayed the opposite last night. She was upset about the accusations brought by Sheldon and the only way to prove that was to show that he was wrong.

"And you can't love me that much. No one can love someone that much."

A pained expression hit his face. _Why is she saying that?_

"But it's true Amy! I told you I love spending time with you when we were at Napa. And then when you traveled away, that's when I realized you somehow wiggled your way into my heart like a heartworm!"

He propped his forearms on the table and got closer to her. "Do you not love me?" whispered Sheldon. He looked at Amy like he would look anyone who was tricking him: penetrating and eager. He wanted to see her reaction. Will this make it or break it? He wished to have heard the exact words, but more powerful and passionate, coming from her.

Amy leaned back into her seat and admitted, "I care for you, Sheldon. I would not be here with you if I didn't."

He scoffed. "It's not the same." Hissing at the vivid memory of last night that popped out of nowhere, Sheldon rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Oh why, Amy! Why—Why did it have to happen? What if that escalated to a more intimate territory? Do you happen to have any condoms stashed in your nightstand? What if we had sex and . . . there's no condom available? Do you expect me to pull it out and make a mess? A man's instinct is the opposite of that and you saw me last night! I-I was not in control of my self!"

He inhaled shakily. "W-What if you get pregnant, huh?! Am I the one to blame? I told you I'm still not equipped for that role, and you told me you're not either! And mom says it's not okay to get an abortion because Jesus will be sad. So, if you're screwing with me, i-it's not fun at all. Not at all."

The words bounced from wall to wall, piercing through her ears. Amy realized that no one was to blame; both of them didn't do anything. But she felt that a chunk of their problem was her fault. At first, she was reluctant to accept her role in this, but seeing Sheldon being miserable in this situation, she felt sorry for the man.

Amy knew that Sheldon might have been blaming himself for all that's happening to them. It breaks her heart to have witnessed him be so vulnerable, so fragile. Maybe for a good reason, it would be okay to be vulnerable, but his vulnerability stemmed from frustration—not the good one.

"Sheldon." She held down his trembling hands on the table. She dragged her chair to sit closer to him. "Look, I'm sorry," whispered Amy, patting his hand as he held his head down. She couldn't tell from his obscured face what his emotion was, but a liquid wandered down from his nose bridge to the tip of his nose and dropped at the wooden table. Another one dropped, and then another one.

Sniffling was his way to stop this nonsense. Cursing at it may be ineffective, doing his best to sniff in the tears was enough. He knew Amy would look at him differently, especially when she sees him crying.

Without second thoughts, she gently wrapped Sheldon in her arms. He wasn't reciprocating her embrace, but he wasn't resisting either; he just made it happen. His face was tucked in her neck, and she can hear him trying his best not to sob. It was quick and consolatory, and Amy pulled away slowly.

"This feud of ours has been causing pain on both of us. We haven't resolved it yet since I left. None of this would have happened if we effectively talked with each other. Instead, we always dispute one another's opinions."

He gruffly wiped his eyes with the cuffs of his sleeves, wiped the surface of the table, before he could ever face her. "I came here because I missed you. And because I didn't like the strain between us. We haven't talked in over a month, Amy. And this is the welcome I get."

Amy sighed heavily. "Sheldon, I'm really sorry. I'm truly am. I feel like I've brought this upon us. I was not myself last night. I was . . . and . . . and you're here and I've missed you, too. I really do. Your accusations yesterday were very provocative. I had a very busy day yesterday when you were napping and that phone call was the only break I got and suddenly you're lashing at me like I was some filthy animal."

He sat back straighter. "You're not."

"I know that you didn't mean that," Amy assured. "But think this: you can't just accuse people of something that they didn't do," she candidly stressed out. Sheldon sighed and had a look of disappointment etched in his face. "And it sounds like you started it all, but I take full responsibility for my actions, whether or not it caused you any pain."

"Y-You can't do that . . ."

"It's the only reasonable thing to do. I apologize for all the things I did to hurt you."

Sheldon nodded and kept quiet for a while. He was trying to compose himself for the sake of an intelligible conversation between them

"Can I ask you a question?" He clenched his jaw as he waited for her confirmation.

It took Amy a while to reply. "Okay."

"Who were you talking to last night? Where did you go and why did you go there? Are you involved with the Conor guy yesterday? Did you go to him yesterday," he rambled with his raspy voice. He didn't know if he made sense or if the message was properly heard, but he couldn't contain his agitation. It needed to be clear now.

"That's a lot of questions." Amy cleared her throat before nibbling on a half-bagel with cream cheese. "But I'll start with the easiest. No, I'm not involved with Conor in the kind of way you are thinking right now. He is a visiting professor in biochemistry from Ireland, and I met him when we needed a biochemist's insight into our research. Other than that, we were flat out platonic with each other . . . the same goes with every researcher in here."

He had furrowed his forehead as he listened to her carefully. Sheldon was about to say something when he was cut mid-air.

"Hep, hep . . . still my turn," Amy interrupted before stealing a quick sip from her mug. "Last night, I ate at a Dunkin' Donuts—it's a thing here in New England. About 30 minutes from here. I downed a cup of coffee, although I think that was a bad idea since I couldn't sleep until midnight," she explained.

"And the last one," her voice softened, "I know you're anxious to know who I'm talking to, but here's the deal: you're going to meet him first before I tell you who he is. Tomorrow, we will go."

Sheldon felt a twitch in his chest. "Him?" he whispered weakly.

"Yes, a man," Amy confirmed, as though saying 'I love you' to another man other than your husband and being secretive about it was accepted by society, "but no, not a lover. Never will be."

"I hope that's not a ruse to bring me to the court and petition for an annulment. Then I'll get to see your lover when we're there and he will snatch you from me," he imagined.

"No, it's not."

He asked stiffly, "How will I know that what you're telling me is the truth? How will I know that you're not just manipulating me?"

"I think you're smart enough to notice that," Amy responded thoughtfully.

Sheldon looked at her for a long time. Was she bluffing or was she telling the truth? Was it really a man that is not her lover? Convinced, he nodded his realization and agreed, "Drat, you're right, Amy."

He snapped his fingers and looked down. Her bare hand caught his attention. There used to be 2 rings there. He knew Amy brought it with her because he felt it dug in his skin when she touched his shoulder and kissed his cheek that morning he accompanied her to her cab.

"Where are your rings?" Another wave of emotions surged. _Why is she not wearing the rings I gave her?! This seems unfair._

Amy looked at her finger and gasp in realization. "Weather really mess up with the rings. I had to take it out when I arrived because it keeps getting loose with the sudden drop in temperature. Even with the gloves, they go haywire."

She pulled out the necklace hidden from her sweater, her rings clinked as she tugged the chain. It was the one she used when they were still keeping the fact that they were married. Of course Amy had to keep it away once they revealed their status to their friends, but he was certain that it would be no use in the future.

"Oh, alright," he replied. Part of him doesn't want to believe that that was true, however, the grounds of her keeping the rings in her necklace instead of her finger was reasonable. With her convincing explanations of the phenomena that had been bugging him, it was a lot easier to trust her. Sheldon just hoped that Amy hadn't used her expertise in brain science to manipulate everything that he believed.

By then, Amy gobbled up the remains of her bagel, downed her cup of coffee, and washed the plates clean. Sheldon followed her and whipped up a quick breakfast similar to hers and washed his dishes, too, as Amy waited for him in her living room.

He was offered an impromptu tour of Dartmouth. Although that tour would only encompass the Physics department, specifically the library where Amy will leave him as she goes to work, Sheldon was still thrilled to hear it. It will be sort of like a daycare, but he doesn't need a change of diaper or a caregiver other than himself and the shelves of books that would accompany him.

As they were rounding the corner of the street, Amy pointed out the Life Sciences department she's currently assigned on.

In the middle of her captivating storytelling, Sheldon interrupted, "Amy . . ."

She looked up to him as he looked at her with hesitation.

"It seemed like when we talked an hour ago, I didn't apologize to you. So here it is: I'm sorry," he admitted as kept his gloved hands in the pockets of his coat and fiddled with the visitor card Amy handed him that morning.

"Apology accepted. Although, you don't need to say that, you were pretty stricken by our confrontation and I saw that you were sorry."

Impressed, he looked at her in awe. "It's amazing that you do have that ability to read me. I should have been more grateful and proud that you got to do research here, but instead, I shut you off from my world and let you leave without saying goodbye."

Amy stopped in her tracks, piquing Sheldon's interest. "Honestly, I was hurt by what you did. I was appalled by your reaction. I thought that the trip to Napa would allow us to know each other and it will be easier for me to tell you about Dartmouth. We did enjoy our time there together but when I told you about it, you acted like a jerk."

He snorted. "A jerk would be a nicer word. I'd like to consider myself an idiot."

"You're a smart man who did idiot deeds," Amy quipped as she let out a tiny laugh.

Sheldon stopped and looked at her incredulously, "Correction, my IQ says otherwise. I am more than smart."

"My apologies, Dr. Cooper. I misspoke."

They shared a laugh as Amy pointed out the Physics library.

Sheldon indulged himself at the spectacle of the library. The feeling of being surrounded by towering bookshelves was extraordinary. The smell, too, was familiar yet every time it registers in his mind, it felt very surreal.

With the absence of his laptop, he had to use his imagination and his iPad, instead, to do some work. Handling three classes in two different topics made his work inbox a consultation machine for all his students. Files after files of term papers needed to be checked, however, he didn't need to scour his whole inbox for every student's submission, he delegated that job of collecting all papers and sending it through one email to a student that he trusted the most. So that job was done for him.

One of the perks of teaching graduate students was the presence of a teaching assistant. A young woman, named Alex, who he deemed as god-sent because it took him 10 applicants before landing her as his assistant, was currently checking the exam papers over the holidays. However, he might be tired from all the interviews that he purposely lowered the standards so that President Siebert wouldn't sulk anymore as to why he still hasn't picked an assistant.

Amy arrived at the library to fetch him for lunch. They walked to the center of the town, passing through the Dartmouth Green—which was in no way diffused with green grass, as advertised. It was the first time that he'd seen a lot of people in the town. That time they bought his clothes and went to the supermarket, people were still in their homes. It seemed like the majority of them prefers to go out at noon.

They stopped by a local restaurant just across the campus. He was apprehensive at first when he saw the fast-casual style of serving, buckets and buckets of chopped vegetables, and heaps of cheeses, and squeeze bottles of sauces displayed right before their eyes. It took a lot of convincing from Amy to order—she even likened it to Chipotle, which he enjoyed religiously—but knowing about nothing of the food, he let Amy pick for him, as long as he watched her do it.

After scarfing down 1 burrito and a green-colored smoothie, which tasted rather appetizing, and grabbing two more burrito bowls for dinner, Amy dragged him to a nearby barbershop. The coercion was real from Amy. With the current state of his hair—enough to be summoned to a boy band—Amy said he needed a haircut.

Indeed, he did. The flat cap he'd been wearing all day covered the bird's nest that was his hair. Similar to that time Penny had butchered his haircut, he was hesitant to have someone cut his hair other than Mr. D'Onofrio. It scared him to death when he needed to go to work after that uneventful weekend.

Ever the insistent Amy sat with him, making sure the barber doesn't mess up his hair and kept him company. She even saved him from having to converse with the barber by doing the small talks. He now grasped the willingness of Amy to do some things in his stead; he was fortunate. What a gal, indeed!

"Thanks for accompanying me," he said as he messed with his freshly cut hair. Gone were the days where he would tuck it behind his ear or swipe it off his forehead, he got used to it since stopping with his haircut appointment in mid-October.

"You're welcome. Now you look more like yourself," Amy replied, in awe at the reemergence of the Sheldon that she used to see every day.

"Only that?" he asked in a teasing manner. The months of living with Amy had brought back this side of him that constantly wanted to tease her. He just liked the way she matches up to his teasing and as soon as they're done, she reddens at the cheek.

Amy noticed what he wanted. "Do you want me to say how drop-dead gorgeous you are now that you had your haircut?" There it is, the return jab. Oh, how he missed those.

"Wouldn't hurt." He shrugged his shoulders and looked at her in his periphery, grinning like a kid.

"The nerve of you! You just got a haircut and then you want me to give in to your masculine wiles?" She chuckled as she jogged away from him. Fortunately, they're way past the main street, which would be unlucky if Amy ran into traffic.

He paused and looked at her, oblivious. Nonchalantly, she stooped down to the pile of snow (Did she drop something?) and grabbed a handful of snow. Her back was against him so he couldn't see what she was doing. Swift as wind, she whirled her upper body and throw a snowball at him. She looked like a Red Sox pitcher pitching a fastball into his direction.

He opened his mouth in shock as the snowball swiped the top of his head and disintegrated as it passed his hair. It was sort of anti-climactic to see the ball hurl to him at a slow pace. A subtle _splat_ was made as it hit his skin.

Amy was there chuckling like a child, almost dropping down to the snow in joy. To seek his revenge, he casually grabbed a handful, as big as his palms, and balled it tighter. He heard Amy shuffled along and ran as she laughed.

"Come back here, you!" he yelled as he followed her, brisk walking. His foot had considerably healed overnight, making it easier to run after her. She was forced to slow down when a couple was walking side by side and was blocking the sidewalk. He grabbed the opportunity to reach her, and once he went by the couple, he threw the snowball into Amy's direction, hitting her in the lower back.

He gasped in delight, mouth ajar, and soon started laughing as he hit Amy. The snowball dispersed in her coat that made Sheldon even more ecstatic.

"How dare you!" Amy feigned irritation.

They went on for minutes, throwing snow at each other and basking in what was left of the day. They arrived back to her apartment, soaked and exhausted but very much in the best mood ever since that uneventful morning. Without any context of the weather outside, it looked like there was a blizzard that caused them to appear that way. Even, they looked like they were buried in the snow and got up with all the white particles clinging to their outerwear. A subsequent hot shower was almost shared, if not for Sheldon's objection.


	20. Meet the People

"Are we there yet?" The shrill in his voice was jarring. The previous iterations of that question were either spoken through a yawn or spoken through a roadside distraction.

"Sheldon . . ." Amy responded as a warning. Forty-five minutes into their drive and he'd asked the very same question for the fifth time. She leered at him quickly and returned her attention to the road.

"What? I'm just asking." Sheldon shrugged as he sulked back in his seat. He had been yawning since they entered the car. They had been awake since 5 a.m., which in turn messed up with their body clocks.

15 minutes till 7 a.m. Their headlights were on, the sky tinged with light orange to yellow just above the horizon where they were driving ahead. It was a good day that day, primarily because of 3 days with no major blizzard, but snowing had been forgivingly persistent.

Amy hoped it would continue until they were done with their trip. It was Tuesday, and the trip wouldn't be over until Thursday.

"You know I told you that we are going to Concord, and it's an hour drive from Hanover, right?" she explained to him. Amy noticed that his eyes were heavy, and she couldn't help but worry about Sheldon. All they had for breakfast was a cup of coffee for Amy and tea for Sheldon. They packed sandwiches but she made sure that they will have breakfast soon enough.

"I am aware of that but I don't know what Concord looks like. God knows it might be a smaller town surrounded by trees, or maybe a seacoast town where fishermen live."

Amy cooed at his candor. "Oh, Sheldon, Concord is the capital of New Hampshire. Although it doesn't look like any other state capitals you'd seen, it is a city."

"Oh . . . you just made that clear," he responded lightly, expelling another yawn.

Worked up from the information, Amy started spewing out facts about her temporary home state. "Even, Manchester looked more like a city than Concord. You don't see it stealing the spotlight from Concord, do you?"

Sheldon gazed at her lazily. "I feel like you're feigning stories and mumbling names now?"

Amy laughed it off and steadily cruised along the highway.

A few minutes of silence passed, Amy's phone started to ring. It piqued Sheldon's attention, and he sat up straighter. She noticed his demeanor but decided to let it go as she pressed on the speaker. A man's voice opened the call. She knew who it was immediately.

"Hey, Bear," the person on the other line greeted.

Instead of answering, Amy laughed when she saw Sheldon stared at her in utter shock and panic like he'd seen a ghost. He mouthed _"Who is that?"_ alarmed about the man's deep but endearing voice.

"Sheldon, relax," she assuaged, squeezing his thigh. "Hey, Frank. Good morning!"

"Good morning to you, too," the man giddily replied, "And you as well, Sheldon! We're already here at Tucker's. Hudson and Dee's with me. How far are you?"

"Umm . . ." Amy looked around the terrain—white trees lined each side of the road, still the same from where they departed, but the signage was helpful. "We're entering Hopkinton now. About 15 minutes, I reckon."

A simple _hmm_ was heard from the other line. A pop of the lips and then, "What would you like to eat?"

Amy didn't think twice, she replied sweetly, "Just my usual, please."

"Got it! How about Sheldon?" The gusto in the man's voice prompted Sheldon to act like he was throwing up. Though, he did it while looking outside so Amy wouldn't see it and condemn him.

Amy glanced at the man beside her. He returned to his position, puffed his chest and tightened his jaw. "Sheldon, do you like to eat something sweet or salty?"

"I don't comprehend," Sheldon replied flatly. His piercing glance at Amy made her chuckle. Defeated, he moped, "Salty," followed by a huff.

"Order a scrambler for him, and potatoes for sides," Amy instead answered. She doesn't want to suck out the patience of the man on the other side, and she doesn't want to strain the relationship they had built for years.

"Alrighty then. Get here soon now! But don't drive fast! We missed you already. I'll meet you later Sheldon. Don't let her get too excited, okay?" The man giddily said his goodbye.

"A salty breakfast?" She didn't intend it to come out as an arrogant remark, but Sheldon thought it might be.

"I'm feeling salty," he sassed, raising his eyebrows as he swished his head.

"Hey, don't pout. Look how early it is. Sulking will ruin your mood for the whole day," Amy reasoned out. She doesn't want to deal with Sheldon being in a bad mood this early in the morning. With her free hand, she waved her hand at him aimlessly—she couldn't avert her eyes from the road!—and sought his hand. It was tough to get by his biceps and elbow, but she managed to sneak in a light touch on his hand.

But Sheldon's sassiness was persistent. "I feel like I'm being enslaved."

"Sheldon . . ." _First,_ she thought. How many _Sheldons_ can she say before he stops with this pointless whining?

"Are you taking me to my master?" And the sulking continued.

"Sheldon . . ." _Second._ This time, she's frantically tapped her finger on the wheel, irascibly waiting for him to quit.

"Tucker, Frank, Hudson, and Dee. Are those the men with whom you agreed to sell me to."

"Good Lord . . ." Amy complained enough just to tell Sheldon that he's being ridiculous.

"Yes, that's right. The Lord would not vindicate as easily as you'd expect. You are committing a heinous crime, a federal one, no less. And He will not be helping you unless you devote your life to Him like my mother."

 _That's it._ Amy pushed her tongue on the inside of her cheek. It's too early to deal with this. She tried to be patient but sometimes her patience battery drains even before her day starts.

She maneuvered the car slowly to the side, enough to give the passing vehicles the use of the lane. The screech of the hand brake being pulled pierced into their vehicle.

"Tell me, how cold is it outside?" She took her hands off the steering wheel and folded it in her chest.

Sheldon looked at her quizzically, leaning to see the information in the car's digital stereo. "Hmm . . . It says it's 26° Fahrenheit, with a little bit of sunshine up until noon and a bit cloudy in the late afternoon. Sunrise is at 7:03 and sunset is at 4:56."

"I only asked for the weather but thanks anyway," she sarcastically said.

Oblivious about Amy's sarcastic remark, Sheldon continued with his commentary, "How come Americans have not switched to the use of the metric system? I know the answer, how 'bout you? And besides, why are we talking about the weather? It's clear that the snow outside indicates that we are currently in the winter season."

Amy let out a puff of air. "We have 7.8 miles left." She stared him down. "Do you want to meet us there, or would you rather keep quiet and let me drive. Cause you can go out now if you want . . ."

Realizing the point of her comment, Sheldon said, "Boy, the metric system is more fun than you are."

Amy gazed at him—Sheldon flinched when she did—and sighed at his comment. They continued the remaining drive to Concord. Sheldon never once again made any annoying remarks, however, he continued mumbling words to himself as he glanced out the window. All the way, Sheldon was just there, smiling in awe at the winter spectacle.

They arrived minutes later, Amy never bothered to talk to him after his pestering. How ironic that she was the one having a bad mood, expecting Sheldon to be cranky all day. He looked around the parking lot like an inquisitive child. Almost, she was expecting him to dive into the snow pile in front of their car, but he just stuck his finger into it and giggled.

Her annoyance lifted when she saw the people excitedly waving at her on the other side of the windows. She walked faster, leaving behind Sheldon, and wrapped her arms around the little girl jumping up and down at the entrance.

* * *

_Amy left me behind,_ he realized when he turned around and saw Amy rushing to the establishment. He was just busy poking at the snowbank, and next thing he knew, Amy was way ahead of him.

One mystery was solved when he looked to his right and saw a towering sign with the words: _"TUCKER'S—BREAKFAST AND LUNCH,"_ welcoming every devout diner. However, another mystery arose when he witnessed Amy hugging a little girl at the entrance and proceeding to go inside.

He followed them, telling the hostess that he was with someone, and looked around. He found Amy, her back against him, as she sat in a booth with 2 other adults—a man and a woman.

Evidently, not all of them are men, as per his initial assumption.

Sheldon peeked to look if it was Amy and proceed to sit beside her. He looked at the couple in front of them. He didn't want to assume anything, but the 2 looked more like a couple than anyone in the diner. They were about the same age.

The man sported a short stubble, enough to have the salt and pepper of his beard to become prominent. His ruffled, wavy hair brushed off away from his face. The woman had her hair swept on her side, its rich dark brown curls cascading down her shoulders, complementing her tawny skin. She looks just like Halle Berry in Catwoman, right before she cut her hair to transform into a vigilante. Once Sheldon and the food arrived, the woman tied her hair determinedly.

Amy still hadn't talked to him when he sat down a minute ago. The man started chuckling and chuckling, the woman beside him nudged him to stop. Amy looked at the man quizzically, as she was halted with her story.

"You've completely ignored Sheldon, Amy," he said, his laughing only got stronger.

Sheldon looked at them, confused. Amy realized and started chuckling a little at her mistake.

"I'm talking too much, aren't I?" she said to the group. "Sheldon . . ." She looked at him. " . . . Franklin and Danielle." she pointed at them. Amy leaned back into her seat and the kid he saw earlier waved at him timidly. "And this is Hudson."

"Frank's fine, Sheldon."

"Call me Dee."

Both Frank and Dee offered their hands to him. Sheldon took it only because the thermal gloves he wore when he got out of the car were still wrapped around his hands.

The little girl offered her hand, too. "You can call me Sunny, Mister."

And as soon as he dropped his wave, he felt something bumping against his leg, despite the thickness of his pants and the protection from his boots. "Ahhh!" he yelped as he saw a creature, in the form of a cat, nudging its face in between his legs. The group giggled again, but Sheldon's demeanor didn't. "Where did that come from?"

"That's Hero," Amy pointed out and rubbed the head of the cat.

"Our first baby. Don't worry, his shots are up to date, and he doesn't bite, not unless you provoke him. He's a sweet guy," It was Dee's turn to talk about the feline who was still continuing his headbutting.

"He's marking you as his territory," Frank assured.

Sheldon was calmed down when he saw that the cat's black harness against its medium-length orange coat. However, his leash was just lying limply on the floor, untethered to anything. _Just don't bite me,_ Sheldon thought as he averted his gaze on the cat's sharp eyes and just prayed that Hero will not jump him while he's eating.

After the initial introduction to everyone, Amy continued talking to them as they were munching on their breakfast. He gazed down at his food—scrambled eggs with green, red, purple, and white incorporated into it, potatoes on the sides, and 2 slices of buttered toast—a symphony of delectable but almost fake-looking food. Not touching his food, he looked up again and noticed the man glancing at him. He didn't know what to do, so he kept his stare and furrowed his forehead.

Still, he had no idea who these people (and cat) were, nor their relationship to Amy. _Who are these people?_ He continued thinking as he ignored the food at the table.

Suddenly, the man looked at him humorously, as though he could hear him. He jerked and broke his stare to look at his food.

"Amy . . ." Frank called, interrupting her story about mismatched winter socks. "You haven't told Sheldon who we are, have you?"

Amy looked at the confused Sheldon and then back to Frank.

The man continued, "He just murmured _'Who are these people?'_ and I feel like he is ready to charge at me."

Amy shook her head, that sneaky smile she had caught Sheldon's eyes.

The couple shrieked, "Amy!" as they were guffawing together. At first, he found it offensive. _How dare they?!_ But with Amy feigning that anger, her arms crossed as her lips pouted, he knew they weren't laughing at him.

The man's semblance was uncannily familiar. The way he narrowed his eyes, his head tilting back ever so slightly, and the lips curling up as he laughed and lines forming around it, it was something he'd seen before.

"I'm sorry Sheldon; I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing at Amy," Frank defended as he pointed at Amy. Sheldon noticed that he was honest so he relaxed in his seat. "Oh, Amy, poor Sheldon. He must have been angry that you were talking to me."

Talking to Sheldon now, Frank said to him, "I was shocked when she called me on Sunday and told me that you got in her nerve. Apparently, you heard her saying I love you to me and were infuriated."

"How dare you, Amy! The poor guy's sulking over this." Now it was the woman's turn to confront Amy. All Amy did was laugh ruefully.

"Well, technically . . ." she said as she tried to breathe.

Earnestly, Frank looked at Sheldon in remorse. "I'm so sorry, Sheldon," he apologized. "Franklin Fowler." He leaned in. "I'm Amy's brother."

Amy turned to the shell-shocked Sheldon and clarified, "My half-brother, to be exact."

"Oh, Boo Bear, it doesn't matter," Frank replied, teasing her.

Sheldon's jaw dropped at the new intel coming from the Fowlers. His eyes followed Franklin as he stood up and went out of the booth. He gestured to Sheldon to get up and he did, although still not in control of his mind.

The next thing he knew, the man's arms wrapped around his shoulders in a brotherly hug. Two pats on his back, signifying a perceivable bond, and Frank whispered, "Cheeky girl, isn't she?"

* * *

"Franklin, I have been asking Amy where are we going, but all I got was 'You'll see,' and then she would give me a grin," Sheldon protested as they were waiting outside in the cold.

After dismounting all their bags from Amy's sedan and transferring it to Frank's spacious SUV, she was now parking it in the garage about 15 feet away from the road, enclosed in the backyard of the male Fowler's supposed house.

"Oh, that girl." Frank clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Ever since we were kids, I'd always get that sassiness from her. But you know, she's sweet too," he clarified. "I'm sorry I got sidetracked, were going to a cabin in the middle of the woods."

Sheldon was gazing at the mother-daughter duo who was busy rushing into the single-level house to use the bathroom. He got alarmed when Frank said that haunting phrase.

"C-Cabin in the woods? Like in the movie?"

Frank gave a tiny laugh. "But unlike that movie, it's not some kind of monster-infested, human sacrifice kind of thing. It's just a plain old house in the White Mountains."

"Is it gonna be far?"

"Definitely not. Just an hour's drive." Frank looked down at his watch. "Reckon we'd be there by 9." He gave Sheldon's back a pat. "Don't worry, we wouldn't bring you in harm's way."

"Amy has talked about you a lot, you know," Frank said after a second of silence.

"She did?" Sheldon turned his head quickly, worried about Amy's brother beating him after hearing all the stories Amy told him

"Yes," he said proudly. "Way before she dropped this bombshell on us that you two got married.

All along, Sheldon's face was indescribable. It's like his stomach was rumbling, and he doesn't want to pass gas at this hour. The way Frank said about his and Amy's marriage frightened him. Sure Sheldon's an inch or two taller than him, but Frank's way more muscular and could easily body slam him in the snow mound just in front of them.

He rambled with his words. "You're mis—"

Aware of Sheldon's internal struggle, Frank let him off the hook and cackled in amusement. "We can talk about it later, brother."

Shortly thereafter, Amy walked in their direction, and Dee and Hudson were securing the front door, leaving no room for Sheldon to defend himself to Frank.

The trip continued. After 8 minutes of navigating through the city, they were on again with snow-covered trees, a few roadside establishments, and cabins deep in the forest. Sheldon noticed how the place was teeming with rivers and ponds and lakes. He'd never seen such a view. Normally on the road trips he had in California and mostly in the South, roads were surrounded by dry land, bronzed plants, and towering buttes. A few vegetation here and there—cotton fields in California and Texas, and sugarcanes in Louisiana, where his uncle used to live.

After passing by a town, everybody seemed to have drifted off. Dee's was slightly hanging on her side, her hair falling on the headrest. Amy bunched up her coat and used it as her pillow. Sunny was dozing off in her car seat beside him, the cat on her lap, calmly swaying its tail.

Their setup was a bit cramped. He didn't want to bother Frank to open up the third-row seat so he can have it for himself. And besides, sitting in the third row meant that there wouldn't be any more room for their belongings. He just needed to prop himself behind the driver's seat with Sunny on the car seat on his right and Amy on the other side.

His eyelids were getting heavier as he leaned into the window. Not before he could fully dive into sleep, a little voice started talking on his right.

"Mister, I never got your whole name," Sunny asked in her slightly drowsy voice.

Deciding to ignore the inappropriate title, he turned his head at her and answered, "It's Sheldon Lee Cooper, Ma'am. How about you?"

The little girl giggled. It may be from calling her Ma'am, but maybe also from the cat nibbling on her chin. Before she could tell Sheldon, her face was in shock. Apprehensive, she looked at her father. "Daddy, can I tell Mr. Cooper my whole name?"

"Sure, baby, you can," Frank replied as he peeked at her daughter through the mirror.

Sunny turned her head back to Sheldon and replied sweetly. "My name's Hudson Claire Fowler. Mommy said I was named after the river because I was born there."

Sheldon was sure that he heard a chuckle from the front seat, probably from Frank but wasn't so sure why.

Determined to tell his own story, Sheldon started, "Well, my mother said I was named after Sheldon Lee Glashow, one of the recipients of the 1979 Nobel Prize for Physics. She wished for a smart child, and my Pop-Pop told her physicists are one of them. In December 1979, 2 months before our birth, Pop-Pop heard on the radio the physicists who've won—Glashow, Abdus Salam, and Steven Weinberg—and told her to pick from one of those physicists' names. Dad didn't think Abdus Salam would be appropriate for a white, Christian kid in East Texas. Mom, on the other hand, thought Steven Weinberg was too _Jewish_. So that's why I was named after Glashow." He nodded proudly. "And oh, my twin sister's middle name is Therese, named after Mother Teresa, who also won the Peace Prize in 1979. Neat, huh?"

Sunny was dumbfounded at the ramblings of the man unfamiliar to him. Sheldon looked at her strangely as she tried to understand what was being said. Seconds past, the little girl shook her head as nothing happened and asked, "Anyway, where did AA found you?"

It was Sheldon's turn to be dumbfounded. _Is that what I sound like to other people? Because, boy, I could not understand anything._

Before Sheldon could be any more confused, Frank came to his aid. "Baby, I don't think Sheldon knows who AA is."

At the realization of her mistake, Sunny giggled and tapped the butt of the cat, which in turn woke it up. "Oh, it's Aunty Amy . . . AA . . . Where did she find you?"

Once he understood, Sheldon nodded. "Well, my friend's wife is friends with your Aunty Amy. They introduced us to each other."

Sunny flashed him a sweet smile. "Okay. As long as you're good to her, I'm will be good to you."

Maybe it was just from his hallucinations, but Sheldon was sure that Sunny's statement had an underlying threat in it.

 _Jeez,_ he thought, _By the end of this trip, I might as well be a grilled well-done steak_. He knew this was just the beginning, and so far they had been good to him.

He drifted off to sleep after that conversation with Hudson. The absence of the engine's life roused him from his relaxation. He looked around outside: they were in a parking lot with a bunch of people walking out in the distance, their backs were against them. He saw Dee and Frank peeking their heads in their direction as they waited.

Amy woke up, stretched a little bit, and realized where they were. She looked at Sheldon, gestured him to go outside, and mimicked the couple in front as they opened their doors.

Sheldon stretched his limbs. It had only been 45 minutes since he slept, and nary a cabin nearby, nor the woods that surrounded it. Only a car park with a few vehicles spaced with each other, surrounded by trees.

"Sheldon, come here," Amy bellowed from the other side of the vehicle. He followed them further into a trail.

Frank and Dee walked as they held their hands ahead of them. Amy's hand was clasped in Sunny's gloved hand. They were walking side by side as Sunny held Hero's leash, following the little girl. Sheldon tried to catch up, jogging beside Amy, he gave her arm a poke. "Where are we going?" whispered Sheldon.

"You'll see," Amy replied. What a useless answer to his question. Although, he thought Amy redeemed herself when she wrapped her free hand around his bulging arm—only bulging from how thick his clothes were.

A short trail led them to an open space. Seven towering steel posts were positioned in an outspread semi-circle. A few people were gathered around the area but Frank grabbed him by the arm, "You're roughly six feet, right?"

He nodded, still confused. Sheldon was led to the cobblestone area where three sets of three footprints paralleled each other. Names were also engraved in the squares surrounding the area. Sheldon thought they were in a cemetery but it seemed impossible since there were no flowers or candles.

He was ordered to stand up between the closest footprint, which had a text '7 feet' on it, to one of the poles and the second closest, which had '5 feet' on it. The girls followed what he just did but this time they were using the footprints next to him and stood at the 5 feet block. Dee and Amy closed one of their eyes, gazed up at the tip of the pole toward the mountain ahead of them, and maneuvered their head slowly, as though they were looking for something. _Use your other eye, too, maybe you can find what you're finding,_ he thought, laughing at himself.

He turned his head to Frank and Sunny who were using the set other footprints. _What am I supposed to do?_ Sighing, everybody was closing their one eye and doing that weird thing. Eventually, he shut his left eye, looked up, and did the moving of the head. What surprised him was what he saw.

 _The Old Man!_ He almost shrieked that out loud if not for his fast hands.

Amy heard that and swiftly turned her head to Sheldon who was covering his mouth with his hands. She saw him in awe at what he just saw through the pole. She approached him, asking, "Do you know what that is?"

"Of course I do! It's the Old Man!"

"Exactly! Never thought you would see it here, no?"

"No, I didn't! Despite my aversion to the field of geology, I am well equipped with the terminologies, phenomena, and the information surrounding the field. And that right there is the Old Man of the Mountain!" Also, the reason why he knew that they were in a valley—the mountain housing the Old Man in front of them and a higher snow-capped mountain behind them that both sandwiched where they were and the highway.

"That it is. This wasn't in the itinerary, just because I'd been here a few times, but I thought you might want to see it. This plaza is in its final stages of development and will be finished by next year. But now people are only allowed on specific time and dates. It's a lucky day for us."

With his two eyes, Sheldon moved his head away from the pole and towards the mountain. He furrowed his forehead when the jagged Old Man formation he'd seen in numerous books in high school was not there anymore. "What happened?"

"It eroded in 2003. They started planning this monument a few years ago, to let those people who hadn't seen the profile before the erosion have a glimpse of it."

"That's kinda sad."

"It is. I'm grateful that I'd seen it once when I was still at Harvard. Frank and I frequent New Hampshire during our free time."

"Oh, well. Good for you. I never thought it was that high. It's so small when I stand here."

"Me either. And look," she pointed down, "There's the Profile Lake. Not a lot of people know that there is a lake beneath the Old Man. That usually freezes by early January, but now you jump in if you want."

"Are you insane?! The shores are frozen and you'd want me to jump in?!"


	21. Chapstick on Your Chapped Lips

"Amy, what are—" Sheldon groggily said as he was at the bottom of the stairs. When he pivoted to the kitchen, it wasn't Amy who welcomed him. "Oh, sorry, I thought it was Amy cooking."

Dee smiled through the tray with circles of dough in it. "Oh no, it's fine, Sheldon. I think Amy's still resting upstairs."

After their quick visit to the Old Man and its museum, they arrived at the cabin that Frank religiously helmed as serene. Serene enough that they had to drive a dirt road 300 feet away from the minor road that is a quarter of a mile away from the major road. Sheldon believed that, indeed, they were in a cabin in the woods, secluded from the world, with only one bar on his phone signal.

It sat atop a slope that faced a clearing that had nothing but snow and a tiny shed surrounded by the forest. On the outside, the cabin seemed very small, maybe enough for a family of 3, but the inside proved him wrong.

It had three levels on it. The basement, serving as a recreation room was wedged into the ground, allowing the resident to enter and exit the basement. From the top, it had this illusion of its inexistence. The main floor had huge windows that met in a triangle, much like how the bow of the ship extends. It gave a majestic view of the clearing as you sit in the living room or prepare food in the kitchen.

The loft sat in a cantilever, making way for the picture windows to extend on all 3 stories. The loft was separated into 2 bedrooms, one has a massive deck that functioned as the roof of the car park downstairs, and one has a sliding barn door that led to a small balcony, overlooking the great room below.

Sheldon had a funny feeling when the knowledge of only 3 bedrooms hit him. _One for Dee and Frank, one for Sunny, One for me and Amy . . ._ _How is that even possible?_ _Maybe I can sleep on the couch._

He vowed that he will never share a room with Amy if there are relatives within the area. That promise was even before they got physical. And now there might be a chance that Amy will jump him, or he will jump Amy, and her brother will hear it, and her brother's wife will kick him out because he's a pervert and he doesn't want to be kicked out in winter.

Fortunately, Sheldon's thoughts were quickly assuaged when Amy decided that she will be sharing one of the upstairs bedrooms with Sunny, the only bedroom with 2 twin size beds. And he will be occupying the second bedroom with a queen-sized bed. Thank God, Amy took a stand.

Back in the kitchen, Sheldon asked Dee, "Didn't you rest?"

"Well, I had a good sleep in the car. You and Amy, on the other hand, woke up early, and she had to drive for an hour, so . . . I think she deserved the rest."

"Indeed, she does," he nodded, watching her put the circular dough on top of a creamy, stewy concoction inside the rectangular pan. It seemed like she's making a casserole. "Do you need my assistance?"

"Well, let's see . . ." Dee dusted off her hands as she finished. "You can put this pan inside the oven. I've been forbidden to carry heavy stuff while bending over."

Sheldon quickly rose into action. He pulled down the oven door, tightly holding the heavy pan, and stooped down to position it in the middle rack. Days of observing her mother cook had paid off, now he's transforming observations into actions.

Out of the blue, he asked, "Danielle, is it really this cold in New Hampshire?"

She looked at him in feigned derision; he thought he did something bad. "Sheldon, I told you to call me Dee. Danielle is a mouthful. And wait till we're in January, it's harsher."

"Oh, I apologize, Dee. I'm not really used to calling acquaintances by their nicknames." He gazed down in embarrassment. "And no, thank you, I think I'll go back to California." Sheldon smiled apologetically.

Dee let out a laugh. "Well, I'm with Frank and you're with Amy, so we're far from acquaintances. And you'll get used to the cold once you survive one winter."

"How come you and Amy's brother chose to live here? Don't you like to live in big cities for bigger opportunities?"

"That's a complicated question to answer. It's hard to speak for both of us. Well, for starters, I've always wanted to live here in the Northeast."

"Why?"

"A home-grown Texan sometimes wants a colder, peaceful place," Dee said as she wiped the counter.

"You're from Texas?" Sheldon asked shockingly. "I'm from Texas!" he bellowed with excitement.

"Yes, born and raised in Houston, near the Space Center."

"I'm from Galveston."

Dee nodded her head, making her bun bob, "Which is a shock since I don't know anyone from Galveston. Amy used to talk about you a lot. Last year, we spent the holidays together, and I felt like I know you because of all her stories," she admitted, which made Sheldon blush.

Last year was a rough one for their friendship. The sudden loss of communication. The awkward holiday greetings. All of it was tough to fathom. But hearing that Amy talked about him—to her family, no less!—at a time where their communication was strained, he knew that Amy held him dear. Despite her not reciprocating his I love you's.

"Frank told me the same thing. Apparently, Amy had used me as a character in her stories," He rolled his eyes in jest. "But you're from Texas . . . I never met a manicured, well-versed, cultured Texan like yourself," Sheldon blatantly told her, prompting an awkward laugh from Dee.

"Oh, don't be like that. I'm as Texan as a Texan from any other state," she declared, before following it up with a bit of a downer. "Although, my parents only moved there for work."

"At the JSC?"

"Yeah. Mom's a math wiz; Dad also helped at NASA after completing his residency in neurology. Both worked during the Space Shuttle Program in the late 80s until the program retired. Mom's been part of the team in charge of designing systems used for launches. Dad's been involved with the experiments done by astronauts at Mir and ISS."

Sheldon looked amazed at the achievements of Dee's parents. Unlike his high school football coach father and church bookkeeper mother, they were no way near the caliber of their jobs. "That's impressive," he said in awe. "After your parent's success at NASA, haven't you considered a career in the space agency?"

"You might as well be a detective, Sheldon." He cocked his head at the statement. _I'm a detective because I deduced something that a detective might?_

"I once did, but I never thought of it when I reached college. Although, I think my brother might be going in that direction."

"What does your brother do?"

"Well, I do have three older brothers, triplets, all of them went in different paths," she revealed. "Aidan became a theater actor in Broadway; oddly, Atticus is a defense attorney in Ohio, and Atlas just finished his test pilot school in the Mojave Desert, and he got promoted to Major in the Air Force. He's the one that most likely will apply for the astronaut program."

Dee's stories continued to impress Sheldon. His brother sells tires, while his twin is still figuring out if proceeding for a bachelor's degree—after receiving her associate's before getting pregnant—is worth her time. It still amazed him that his siblings were trying their best to be accomplished just like him, but Dee's brothers are next level humans.

"How about you? What do you do?"

"I'm a doctor," she proudly announced, before continuing, "to animals."

"So you're a veterinarian . . ." Sheldon let the words trail. He wasn't so sure if his terminology was correct. He'd never been interested in Animal Science before; it might have changed throughout the years.

"Exactly. Specializing in emergency care."

"How about Frank?" he asked in curiosity.

"He's a classics professor."

His eyes widened as he suppressed a tiny yelp. He hoped Dee didn't hear that. "Oh no . . ."

"I know you hate the humanities." Dee let him off the hook about Frank's profession. "Don't fret. He's a multifaceted classics junkie. He can speak ancient languages. He can spurt out history. He can quote from literature—verbatim, not like those phony, inaccurate quotes. Most recently, he participated in an excavation in northern Greece. So he might as well be really good in the field. But once you hurt anyone of us in here, you'll feel the wrath of an Ancient Roman torture device. He knows how those things work."

Sheldon winced at the thought, impulsively clutching his groin. He knew that Roman officials like to torture people either by using animals or by cutting off their genitals. Hero the cat was silently sleeping in the corner near the wood stove, so he knew the cat wouldn't be his demise. However, Dee had all sorts of weapons, in the form of kitchen utensils, beside her, and he knew that Frank, which in this case is the Roman emperor, would let her do the honors if ever Sheldon did the unthinkable.

Sheldon rested his imagination. "I don't see any reason to inflict pain to any of you; I could barely lift a barbell," he reasoned out. "And I won't hurt Amy either. Although, I think she might have beaten me to the punch; that lady's been pushing me around since I got here."

"Maybe she's just concerned about you following her here."

Sheldon nodded in thought. "I supposed she is." Amy did. Even though she didn't speak to him right away when he arrived at Hanover, her very first words to him were crammed with concern. "I kind of made her worried when I didn't tell her any of my plans. However, Amy seemed to be fine now that I'm here with her."

Dee smirked. "Well, it looks like she played you like a fiddle, didn't she?"

_WHAT?!_ A horrified look was plastered on his face. _What did she say?!_ First off, he'd never heard that drawl in months, and to have heard it in a town where the snow is ankle deep and where there are 4 seasons in that town's state was purely astounding.

But the untimeliness of the drawl didn't bother him that much; what bothered him was the blatant sentence that almost gave him a heart attack. Did she know about what happened to them? Specifically, what Amy did to him. That awfully sounded like a confrontation from his standpoint. Amy did play him like a fiddle—figuratively and literally! Like he was some instrument in an orchestra and his cry for pleasure became its lead. His cheeks turned flushed as he remembered that time, but Dee seemed to overlook it.

Dee weirdly looked at him. "Why? What's the matter?"

Reddened, he swallowed the lump in his throat before stammering, "I . . . uhh, n-nothing. Just nothing. D-Do you need me to get that out of the oven?"

It was his only way of evading further questions from Dee that would incite any unspeakable things he or Amy or both of them had done to each other, even though the food had only been cooking for 15 minutes.

* * *

After a rather scrumptious meal of chicken and biscuit pot pie, they were off to another destination.

Amy was surprised that Sheldon was willing to be taken somewhere in the course of one day. He usually gets cranky when you take him in intervals, he wanted everything to be done in one go.

It was her turn now to drive. Sheldon, apparently, was being talkative now. Discussing with Dee and Sunny and Frank about random things he enjoys, it was a relief that it was their turn to have their turn for Sheldon to talk their ears off.

Being this her birthday trip, it was her idea to visit the ski museum and bring along Sheldon. Museums and trains were always his priority when traveling. However, when you throw in some outrageous destinations, he usually caves in after several attempts of coercion.

The tour was quick. It was Sheldon's first time, as well as Sunny's. They're both like grade-schoolers on their first field trip. The history of skiing was elaborated perfectly, with artifacts supplementing the tales and anecdotes from accomplished in the sport.

Amy got to enjoy herself too. She was still in college when her adventurous brother dragged her here in her freshman year. She wasn't able to take everything they did on that adventure because of her face being stuck in her books.

As they were walking across to reach the other building, Amy remembered to ask Sheldon a question. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"I know you were gonna ask me that. I think I have an idea of where you'll bring me." When they were going on the road to the museum, Sheldon saw the ski lifts bringing people up the mountain.

"Oh, no . . ." Amy quickly dismissed, realizing Sheldon's concern. "We can't ride ski lifts if we're not skiing."

He sighed. "That's reassuring."

"But we'll ride the aerial tramway up the summit." She smiled as she pointed up to where a cable car emerged from the other building. "Don't worry the weather is forgiving today."

_Where did that come from?_ He didn't see it when they entered the ski museum, so seeing the cable car climb up the mountain was surprising. The last cable car he'd ridden was in San Francisco, and that was less terrifying because it was a land cable car. When he saw it ascend the mountain, with the car almost 15 feet from the ground, it was absolutely terrifying.

"They say that you can see three states and Canada at the summit. I've never ridden this in winter, but let's see what awaits us at the top," Amy whispered to Sheldon who kept his cool while they were getting farther and farther from the foot of the mountain.

As they were climbing up, there were white rivers of all sizes snaking the whole height of the mountain. At a second look, he realized that they were not rivers, instead, they were the pistes used by skiers. The view was mesmerizing, seeing the tiny people swerving and dancing along the white slopes to reach the foot of the mountain, only to ride a ski lift and ebb once more.

When disembarking in the roofed viewing deck, he turned to Amy and whispered, "That's not a lot of views."

She looked at him quizzically. "Mount Washington right there." Pointing at their northeast, a silhouette of a white mountain from afar. She dragged him to face north, directing his attention to the piece of land on the other side of a barely visible river. "Oh, I can see a bit of Vermont right there. That river, you see? That's the same river we were riding along when we got clothes for you. The one I said was separating Vermont and New Hampshire."

Amy stayed a little longer facing their north, seeing Sheldon's serious attempt to make the shape of the river she's been talking about. "Sadly, no Canada for us today."

Sheldon took in a lot of air and exhaled a large amount of smoke from his mouth. That smoke that he usually sees in movies whenever the setting was cold, came in action today. He might be doing that since he arrived in New Hampshire, but it was only now that they were up a mountain when he noticed it. Such a fascinating thing. "The air's a bit thin up here." His teeth chattered a little bit.

"We're up four thousand feet."

Amy dragged Sheldon so they can take a seat on a bench facing the view. She watched him for a while, so deep in his thoughts. The way his forehead furrowed as his lips curled in thought. His scarf was obscuring his jaw, for which he would tighten and untighten it as he was pondering. Was he thinking about Pasadena? Was he thinking about his family? Was he thinking about her? Wishful thinking, but it couldn't hurt.

"Why are you so quiet?"

"I'm taking in the view." A frown was in his face as he looked around. He wasn't angry or anything, what he's seeing was just different than any other places he'd seen.

"You've seen a lot of snowy mountains before?"

He shook his head, his knitted hat quivering. "Well, my father has a sister in New Mexico. They brought us skiing during the holidays. But it's not as snowy and not as cold as this place. It looked kinda fake."

Sheldon broke the silence when he turned to Amy. "Can I ask you something?"

She gestured her head to allow him.

Biting his lower lip, Sheldon stared at her in hesitation. "Why didn't you tell me that you had a brother?"

"It never came up."

"Why didn't it?" Amy can see hurt in his face. With his tone raising an octave, Sheldon was so eager to know that he forgot that they were in a public space.

Amy looked at him in remorse. She might have crossed too many lines and too many boundaries to even prolong his hurting. Determined to tell Sheldon, she began with a cheery memory from the past, "Remember when we would talk for hours in the past years?"

Amy's smile rendered Sheldon calm and collected. He listened to her keenly, as he remembered those times. "Well, you did most of the talking?"

He looked at her, confused. Frowning, he tried to defend himself, "I most certainly did not."

"You kinda did." Amy was apologetic enough by hesitating to tell him, and she did anyway. "But I've got nothing against you or your stories. I enjoyed them. All of them, Sheldon."

Another smile formed in his face when Amy told him how much she enjoyed his tales. He pretty much felt the same thing. He liked it when Amy listened to his stories because she was never condescending, and she would never ridicule him. But he felt guilty that he'd been doing that to her. "How can you not tell me? I've been stealing the spotlight away from you."

Amy sneered, rolling her eyes. "Oh, don't be overdramatic. You know I'm not quite fond of blabbing and blabbing for hours. I'd rather listen to someone talk."

"But that's unfair. You know a lot more about me than I know about you." Now, Sheldon's siding with Amy. This instance was, by far, his fastest acknowledgment of his mistakes. He wanted to let her know that he did her wrong, and he wanted to redeem himself. It may be a futile disagreement, but when it comes to Amy, it was nerve futile.

"Let's change roles now," she suggested, which relieved Sheldon because he doesn't have to think on her behalf. "I'll talk, and you'll be the listener."

"Very well. I'll ask you questions."

"Just keep it short we only have 15 minutes here in the deck."

He nodded, combing through his mind the very first no-nonsense question he could ask. "Frank's your half-brother, right? How so?"

Amy smiled at his choice of question. "Well, Dad had him when he was 21. Two years later Dad and Frank's mom separated. And they moved to St. Louis while Dad moved to California and started his family there."

"If you were in California and they were in St. Louis, how come you and Frank are so close to each other? Do you take turns vacationing?"

"I don't know if I have the authority to tell you this, but Frank's mom passed away when he was 8," Amy revealed with a painful expression on her face. "I won't tell you why, you'd have to ask him. But Dad fought for his custody."

"We grew up together. I was only 2 when he moved in. He told me when he first arrived in our house, he saw me clutching this stuffed toy while yelling 'Boo Bear' like I own the place. Between my mother and me, Frank said I was the one who ran up to him, still clutching my bear, and jumped into his arms. That was only our second meeting and yet he said that I was treating him like we knew each other that long."

If the previous statement made Amy somber, her next statement made her reminiscent and all smiles. A twitch in Sheldon's chest made him realize that Amy's stories were just as important to him, if not they were more important than his. That hearing Amy's stories compared to his stories proved that indeed they were very similar yet very different people from one another.

"Why haven't you told me any of this?" Sheldon asked, only realizing that he knew the answer to the question. "Wait, I know. It's my fault. But Amy I love hearing your stories."

"You never asked." She said it like she was sorry. He doesn't want her to be sorry; he should be sorry.

Sheldon sighed when he knew Amy was telling the truth. "See when you don't tell me you have a brother? I got irrational. I could bury myself into the snow if it weren't for your brother's warm demeanor. I thought he was going to strangle me when we were waiting outside their house."

"Oh, Frank would never do that. Just don't hurt his family." She smiled at him, and his heart melted. How can he not declare his admiration for this woman? She handles everything seamlessly, like a raft calmly flowing with the river.

_Don't hurt his family._ A recurring theme to his New Hampshire trip. Do they value family to that extent? Or do they not trust him that he'll never hurt anybody. He'd been told that when it comes to hurting someone, he can sometimes do it verbally, without his knowledge. But he draws the line to being physically violent. He doesn't want that. He can't stomach it.

Amy noticed how deep in his thoughts Sheldon was again.

She was elated that she got to tell her stories. She knew they weren't even at the tip of it, but having the knowledge that they might dig even deeper calmed her soul. Unlike the Sheldon she knew 4 years ago, this one was a listener—a generous one. She doesn't want him to change who he was—she still likes it when Sheldon gets a bit dramatic about something, or when he gets unnerved by something new—but she's glad that he's open to exploring some things he might not in the past.

Feeding off of Amy's happiness, Sheldon proceeded to tell what she missed during the day. "Amy, Sunny and I got acquainted in the car, while you were sleeping. And Dee and I got acquainted as well when she was cooking that mean chicken pot pie. Who could've thought you could use biscuits as your pastry?! Did you know that she was from Texas?"

That's what she always likes from his stories—it's brimming with emotions even strangers could feel him. "Of course, I do and both she and Frank know a lot about you because of your stories. They wanted to hear it so I blabbed about it."

Still on cloud nine, he wanted to know what stories Amy told to her brother.

He grinned. "Did you tell them that I had a signed Leonard Nimoy napkin?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell them about my Lego Millenium Falcon and Death Star, and how I completed it each one of it in under 20 hours scattered throughout weekends?"

"Yes."

"Did you tell them how I did it again thrice?"

Amy rolled her eyes in jest and nodded.

"Did you tell them about all the restraining orders that I have?"

"Yes," she replied before listing it with her hands, "Nimoy, Carl Sagan, Stan Lee, and most recently, Bill Nye."

Sheldon grinned, bobbing his head. "Ahh! I just got goosebumps when you said those names."

"Hmm . . . Did you tell them how much you mean to me?"

Amy caught herself before cooing at that sweet remark. Instead of a shy smile and a blush on her cheek, what she had was a smug smirk. Sheldon thought he would win and render her crimson; he's more than wrong.

"If you'd like, you can tell them yourself," she suggested, matching the game Sheldon was playing.

To even match her, Sheldon rested his arm on the backrest and leaned in. "How do you want me to do that?"

Amy didn't know if it would get her in trouble but she had to try. She leaned in as well, only a few inches away from his face. "Well, they say that actions speak louder than words. Maybe you should digest that," she suggested in a manner she usually wouldn't.

Sheldon huffed and shook his head. "I know what you're playing, sister. You want me to participate in a public display of affection, don't you?"

Amy snorted and pulled away from his face. "It's true what they say: you really are a genius."

Unmoved, Sheldon put his hand on his chin, as though he was thinking. "Hmm . . . let's see what we can do."

"Wait . . . Are you—"

Before Amy could finish her question, Sheldon's lips stopped her. It was a light peck, but it brought warmth to her lips.

"Serious? Yes, I am. Now, did they see us?" he asked, stopping himself from looking back. Amy's family was just behind him, and he doesn't want to appear that he's getting their attention.

"I—uhh—I don't, I don't think so. I don't know, Sheldon. I wasn't looking," Amy responded in shock. She peeked her head just a little and no one was facing them.

Sheldon hissed. "Maybe we should up the duration, don't you think?"

He kissed her again. This time, he made sure that it was much longer and more convincing. He lightly put his hand on her nape and played with her loose hair.

He pulled away, making a sound. "Was it effective?"

Amy widened her eyes, quickly ducking down as she covered her face with her hand. "Oh God, this is embarrassing."

Sheldon swatted his hand. "Oh, it's fine Amy," he reassured, giving her arm a light pat. "Did they see us? Did they see us?"

Amy looked up and her family was still busy talking on the other bench. _They're not looking!_ Still flushed and embarrassed, she gazed back in an anticipating Sheldon.

"Where is the lip balm I bought you? Your lips are very chapped, Sheldon," she said in concern. In no way she felt that Sheldon's lips were dry; she didn't notice it. But seeing that they were thousands of feet from the ground, his lips would be bleeding if he didn't moisturize it soon.

"Wait a second." He scampered for his pockets, removing the cover of that thin stick. "Make sure that they see us," Sheldon murmured inaudibly as he lined his lips with the lip balm over and over again.

Amy gestured her hands to speed up Sheldon. If he wanted them to see their PDA, he should've thought this through. "Hurry up! They're letting people back in," she demanded as the people queued in place.

Sheldon growled, "Come here."

He sounded like he was in a hurry like they were catching something. But when Sheldon's lips landed, it was soft and unhurried. Amy's hand found its way on his chest, caressing the wool of his coat. Sheldon returned his hold on her nape, but this time, his other hand landed on her thigh.

Their last kiss was that night when pleasure was brought upon Sheldon. For some reason, neither of them timed the kiss, and the only thing that got them separated was Amy's phone ringing. Quickly separating from Sheldon's eager mouth, she whisked the phone from her pocket, struggling with her gloved hand. She saw the caller ID, looked up to the caller, and saw her brother grinning at them like an idiot.


	22. Cigars and Sleds

"Sheldon, give me a hand, will you," Frank bellowed as Sheldon walked down the staircase. Seconds before in the kitchen, Amy told him that Frank needed help downstairs and that he should bring his coat and wear his gloves.

"What are we doing?" asked Sheldon as his foot landed at the last step.

Frank stood at the opened French doors, his hands on his hips. "Grilling."

He shook his head in shock. "In winter?"

"In winter, yes. Why not in winter?" Frank chuckled. "Here, help me move this grill."

"I just thought grilling is concurrent to summer," Sheldon grunted as he lifted the other end of the grill. The porch doesn't extend that much so they have to grill further into a small wooden platform with an awning extending a few feet away from the house.

Frank answered, also out of breath. "It is but there's no law in forbidding it in winter."

"Should I go get some wood fire? I-I never touched an axe but I thought I could figure it out. It's plain classical mechanics. Notably useful is Newton's second law which dictates that force is equal to mass multiplied by acceleration: F=ma." A certain shiver of his voice appeared like he was out of breath. In reality, he was terrified of what would happen if Frank wanted him to stay even further.

A few hours ago, they were alone waiting outside his house. At least, that was in a residential place. Now, he and Frank would be alone with no one around. Every man would be frightened about a wife's brother, especially when the said brother knew about their hasty marriage and seemed like he could throw a punch just for a hell of it.

"You could do that. However, black bears populate this part of the state, so just beware of black lumps on the ground. You might rouse it from their hibernation," Frank said in nonchalance, which in turn frightened him more.

Trying to mask the panic, Sheldon composed himself. "Ummm . . . I-I could bring a bear spray. And-and they are not that fast in winter, are they?" he chuckled fearfully. "I could outrun them. Is there an axe somewhere here?" He moved his head around in an attempt to search for a weapon. Also, he doesn't want his brother-in-law to witness his horrified face.

"Sheldon . . ." Frank called out. "There's no need to gather some wood. This is a gas grill."

He sighed. "Oh, that—is reassuring." _Phew, that was a close call._

"Although, the fireplaces upstairs might need some firewood."

 _Uh-oh._ "O-On it. Where is the axe?" Sheldon frantically moved his head to prove to Frank that he can be useful in this household. _Bears be damned. I'm a physicist, I can smack down a bear in the swing of an axe._

Frank watched in amazement. "Sheldon, I was just kidding around," he revealed in a light manner. He was hoping to ease the feel of winter to his rookie Californian brother-in-law. What good way to scare him a little and boost his adrenaline. Everybody needs that kind of push in winter.

"Hmph. Alright," Sheldon still kept his head. Although, chills jolted up his neck caused by his bear imagination and the ensuing cool wind coming from the east. _I could have brought down a scarf._

"Why are you being silent now? Did I frighten you with the bear thing? Oh, I'm so sorry, Sheldon. I usually do that when I have visitors, just to lighten the mood." Frank chuckled meekly. He retrieved a nondescript propane tank from inside and carried it with one hand, balancing it against his body weight.

Sheldon shook his head in realization, grabbing the handgrip on the other side to help Frank. "No, it's not the bear. Although, I was really lying that I could outrun them. It's just that . . . the thing we did at that viewing deck made me feel guilty. Amy said you were giving us the looks when we caught up to you at the cable car."

"The looks she was talking about was this." Frank nodded his head slowly, a sly smile creeping up his face, as he brought his thumbs up. The I-saw-what-you-did-there look. A classic gesture of every big brother. Even Georgie gave him that once when he was forced to tutor a girl for their class.

"Oh," he said in realization. "I-I thought you were angry."

Frank shook his head no as he attached the hose to the tank. Another sigh of relief.

"Another thing to be angry about: Amy and I got married on a whim and didn't tell anybody, except my mother and her mother."

Frank shrugged as he looked up. "So? I don't have a bone to pick with you. I don't see why I should hold a grudge."

"But—"

Frank stopped him, "Amy told me about this."

"She even wasn't done laying down the rules for when I meet you, but I know how to mingle with people properly," Frank said candidly. "Don't think so hard about how I'll treat you. I'm a grown man, Sheldon. And I have a family. I respect the people my family values. My sister values you. There is no other reason where you would frustrate me. Just don't injure, batter, bruise, lacerate, scar Amy. A lot of people love that woman."

"I could barely swing an axe, more so hurt Amy. And believe me when I say that I am one of those people who admire her."

The men exchanged knowing looks. Frank, a look of gratitude at the man in front of him, treating her sister like he would treat her. Sheldon, in awe at the unpretentious brother-in-law who had nothing but good things to say. Both hoped nothing will shift once they get to know each other.

"What are we cooking?" Sheldon asked as he observed Frank tinker with the knobs of both the grill and the tank.

"We have steak, sausages, some chicken kebab, and we're gonna roast some vegetables," Frank replied, all too excited about the food. "We'll heat this grill first. It's been sitting here in the cold for quite some time."

Frank brought his attention back to the observing Sheldon and said, "For the meantime, let's go up and get what we're cooking."

They went back up to the main floor, where everything settled. Amy and Dee, with the help of Sunny, managed to prepare trays of uncooked food for them to cook.

They returned back down and then outside, first bringing the vegetables.

"Do you have a big appetite? I'm sure you and I will be the ones eating the leftovers." Frank peeked inside the two aluminum foil pack, laying it seam up on the grill.

"Not a fan of leftovers, but I have yet to try leftovers a few minutes after dinner. Usually, the leftovers I frequent are those of which stayed in the fridge overnight."

Frank clicked his tongue and shook his head. "You're a very eloquent man, huh?"

"Well, I appreciate that. I'm informed that you are as well. Dee told me that you're a professor," Sheldon returned the favor as they each dragged one cherry red chair that was stacked on the porch. They dragged along a folding table and plopped it in the snow-covered ground.

"Indeed, I am. I just recently got promoted to associate professor at UNH's main campus. Been with them for 6 years now," Frank replied, laying down the remaining vegetables on the side of the grill.

"I've been with Caltech for 20 years now. Four years were spent in graduate school and the other as a faculty."

Frank tittered as he sat down on his chair. "There's no competition, Sheldon. We get it, you're a genius."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was not bragging, I thought we were talking about employment so I pitched in."

His brother-in-law turned to him in seriousness. "That was a joke, Sheldon."

Sheldon nodded "I didn't realize that. Thank you for clearing that up. I apologize."

"Amy said that you rarely apologize to anyone. More often than not, she said that you kinda hate apologizing because—and I quote—'I am always right'."

"But you're my wife's brother, which means that I am obliged to treat you well, which means that apologizing is not a choice. And besides, I don't know you that much for me to take a risk of being contemptuous. One minute, you'll ask me to accompany you to grill like were some ol' pal, and next one, you'll body slam me to the snow, and when I regain my consciousness, my torso is flaming because you had laid me down to the grill and tortured me." Sheldon breathed heavily, envisioning the Ancient Roman torture device that he and Dee were talking about hours ago.

"Wow, your imagination is wild, no? Are you sure you haven't consumed any edibles in the past hour?"

Frank grabbed an aluminum growler force into the snow. _Where did that come from?_ Sheldon thought at the clever camouflage of the aluminum against the white ground. A golden tap ran the vertical of its body, stopping by the neck and extending outward.

"The only drug this man consumes is knowledge. And once my neighbor made me drink coffee so that we can finish a thousand hair berets overnight for the East Rutherford's LGBT Alliance Luau that my roommate stupidly allowed as a one-day rush delivery." He watched as Frank turned the tap on and liquid started pouring down into a glass. "What is this?" Sheldon asked as he gazed upon golden, fizzy concoction in a surprisingly slender and tapered glass.

"Try it. That's craft beer." Frank took a sip from his brimming glass, foam accumulating on his beard. "You know what? You and Amy are like twins, you never run out of stories."

Sheldon stared at his half-filled glass. "Amy recently told me that the reason for her not telling me that she has a brother was because of my penchant for always talking about myself. She said that she couldn't tell her stories because she doesn't want to interrupt me when I tell my stories." He took a meager sip, testing its mouthfeel by stirring it in his taste buds, and jerked his head "Ooh, that tastes different."

"Local brewery in Concord. Thought it might interest you. I know you rarely drink, so half a glass it is." He raised his glass. "You better let her tell her stories now. I bet you've talked her ears too much she might ask for a divorce."

"Oh God, I hope not."

"Why not?"

"Are you insane? I wouldn't break up with Amy. And divorce is a process I couldn't stomach. I just hope you haven't talked Dee's ears off too much that she might divorce you," he said flailing his arm. His genuine side seeping out: proud and unfiltered.

"Well, it's easier for us. She can just walk away and leave me behind," Frank nonchalantly said, pushing his back against the chair.

"What are you talking about?" Sheldon faced him, baffled. "You're not married, are you?"

"No. But your tone is kinda accusatory. You're making me guilty for not marrying her."

"Why didn't you marry her? Isn't that every woman's dream? To get married to the love of their life while their family and friends are gathered to celebrate their union."

Frank gave him that look. "Pfft . . . you're no good either. You and Amy never told us or anyone, for that matter, that you got married. Even Dad didn't bother to tell me. I got to confront her right when she arrived here in New Hampshire. Saw her wearing some rings that awfully looked like the real deal."

Sheldon shrugged. "Well, sorry. That was a hasty decision. Did Amy tell you why we got married?"

"She did, and I with that, there is a reason for me to punch you in the face." Exactly at that moment, Frank swiftly put his glass on the table separating them and stood up from his chair.

Sheldon jolted, almost ready to throw the glass at Frank to defend himself. "Amy!" he shouted, looking cautiously at the man. Instead, Frank approached the grill, much to his relief.

"Relax, Sheldon. One thing to know about me: I make a lot of jokes and I forgive people. You're forgiven," Frank said, moving around the mushrooms and broccolini on the low fire. "But why would you and Amy do that? Just to get rid of a contract you made when you were a teen? And Amy fell for that bullshit?"

Extracting a wooden box from his inside jacket, Frank slipped open the cap and pulled out a stick. No, not a stick, it looked like a hotdog, if a hotdog was dark brown, and there is a thin band wrapped three-quarters into its body with writings on it. From the smell, Sheldon could clearly identify what it was. Men of his family gathered around with it during occasions, revering it more than they revere their wives.

He gazed at Frank and at the thing on his palm. "Umm, Frank . . . I—don't smoke," said Sheldon, attempting to give the cigar back to Frank.

Frank shrugged and swatted his hands to tell Sheldon that he should keep it. "That's alright. I was just offering. No pressure, though."

Taking his glove off, he ran his finger on the cigar's body, rubbing his forefinger and thumb together as soot accumulated. After a while of staring at it, he pocketed it. "I wouldn't say that she fell for it. We sort of agreed that we'll do it together. Her mom's pestering her about starting a family, and my mom's pestering me to just forget the contract and move on with my life. I couldn't just abandon that; it was a notarized agreement between parties, and I don't want to go to jail."

Frank inhaled and puffed out the smoke. "Here's a suggestion: you could have courted Amy to be your girlfriend. If she said yes, you can wait for a couple of years, and then you can propose to her."

"The contract was long overdue. I'm turning 35 on February, the contract says that I must be married before 30."

"But why though? Out of all the women in California, you chose to target my sister," Frank said as he walked past Sheldon, retrieving a circular receptacle made of heavy glass. Glass clinked against the aluminum table as Frank rested his cigar on one of the ashtray's elongated divots, embers sluggishly dropping to the glass.

Sheldon pursed his lips as he felt the tension from Frank's words and action. "I can sense that you're annoyed."

"I'm frustrated that she didn't tell me. I'm just frustrated that this happened so fast. Did you get her pregnant?"

"Clearly, you haven't seen a pregnant lady before. Amy doesn't look pregnant," Sheldon defended.

"Well, I watched my first-born grow while I was still in college. I watched Sunny grow in her mom's belly. And Dee's pregnant and soon enough, she'll be showing. I think I know how a pregnant woman looks," Frank replied bitingly, before sighing. "I shouldn't have said that. I guess I'll make it up to Dee later. I know you hate secret-keeping. Don't worry, Amy already knows. You don't have to keep it a secret."

Sheldon nodded in thought. "Congratulations, but I did not get Amy pregnant. We just kissed." _No, it wasn't_. "Just a kiss . . . or maybe two. I don't know, I've lost track."

"Woah, just a kiss? Really? You better be quick, brother, there's a lot of cute graduate students down there in Dartmouth, they might get ahead of you," Frank warned, prolonging the puff of smoke in the air.

Sheldon shook his head. "I didn't consider that. And I don't like it."

Frank sighed. "I used to be protective of Amy; I still am, but she'd flourished into a fine woman, and I think she deserves a man who will treat her like she's a queen."

He held his head high to prove something. "I can be that man."

"I know you can. She told me you love her, did you mean that or was it some stunt?"

"Of course, I love her. I traveled here just to tell her that. Although, I couldn't even get a second." Sheldon swatted his hand. "It's fine, she let me stay here in New Hampshire."

"Remember, step up your game. Dartmouth grad boys. Shall I say, very promising gents? Now I know Amy is not that kind of girl, but seriously boys are just horndogs, aren't they?"

"Just like you. You had a child in college?" Sheldon sneered, taking a sip from his glass.

"Ouch, that hit right here." Frank clutched his chest as he winced in fake pain. "Yeah, my firstborn with my first love. We've separated but we're amicable now. We made it work: I would visit them in Philly at least once a month. But now, Piper's all grown up. The folks and Amy, accompanied her to Stanford when she moved in late-August."

 _Oh,_ Sheldon realized, _that must be the reason why Amy went away just as soon she finished with Caltech._ He remembered that unfortunate weekend. One of the things that he must have listened to. He really should be talking to her more.

Sheldon turned to the man getting on with his second glass of beer. "How's Amy like growing up?"

A smile crept up Frank's face, recalling how their childhood was nothing but the best. "Smart as a whip, quiet if you wouldn't talk to her, but always, very thoughtful and remarkably sweet."

 _I would love to meet young Amy,_ Sheldon thought. Thinking of a better way to do that, he sought, "Do you have any photos of her growing up?" though expecting nothing.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Here, I always keep this in my wallet." Frank retrieved his wallet from his back pocket and carefully held a beat-up, faded photograph of both of them. They were both pretty young. Frank wore a two-toned polo shirt partnered with high-waist short shorts, and Amy wore a light pinafore dress, sleeves with ruffles, clutching a stuffed toy, probably the Boo Bear toy she was talking about. Her hair was in the lighter shade of brown in pigtails.

As Sheldon appreciated the photo, Frank pulled out his phone and handed it to him. "And here, an album when Amy's young. I always had that on my phone in case Amy brings home a guy and asks for her photos."

The only thing he could do was softly mouth words as he swiped through old photos. There was a photo of a party, presumably Amy's birthday because she was in front of a cake and wearing a party hat. All of Amy's graduation photos were there, the early ones still faded: royal blue on her elementary school, bright yellow for her middle school (which he was informed that Amy was a 7th grader who tagged along with the 8th graders because she skipped 8th grade), and her green toga with gold hood in high school.

The following three amused him tenfold. Amy and Frank hugging together as she wore a pure black gown and cap ensemble and clutching something. Amy with her Harvard gown, a red hood on a black dress, and her cap, surrounded by her family. And Amy with her doctoral graduation, regalia of black on crimson, a young stature of great brilliance. Just seeing how she bloomed into a woman, her intelligence seeping from every photo, as well as her influence on him.

Some random photos were thrown into the mix. Travel photos with Frank, some with Dee, photos of Amy in Norway, that one time she spent a semester, family photos in California.

"Am I seeing tears?" Frank muttered as he peeked at his brother-in-law, amused at how Sheldon was displaying himself.

Without even noticing it, Sheldon peered down at the screen, two blobs were disrupting the image. He gruffly wiped his face with his sleeve, following a decent swipe of the wrist on the surface of the phone.

"Wow, she's beautiful," Sheldon declared amid his sniffing.

"No doubt about it."

"How come men weren't fawning over her? She looks stunning. She still is!"

Right then and there, heavy footfalls were heard on the staircase. The girls trudged down with another tray of meat—three cuts of ribeye, six skewers of chicken kebab, and three enormous sausages—and 2 plates for the cooked food. The interruption put a halt on Sheldon's impending breakdown. Just seeing Amy all suit up for a winter afternoon put a warm touch on his chest. Seeing young Amy from the photos and seeing her now, it excited unbridled emotions that proved that indeed what he's feeling towards Amy was real.

Amy kept his gaze as they went past them, but then she smiled when they reached the crest of the porch. Unbeknownst to him, Sunny and Amy were both carrying sleds. The little girl laid down on her stomach and let gravity pull her down that slope and toward the clearing. It was a quick run, but Sunny's laughter resonated, even making her father laugh.

"That's our tradition every winter. Ever since Sunny was born 5 years ago, we would let her ride a sled. A flatter terrain when she was younger and we would pull the sled around. But now look at her, she's braving a rather incredible slope," Frank said in awe as he took the vegetables off heat.

"Well, back to my sister. Amy never got infatuated in those nineties boy band kind of stuff. Despite the fact that it was most teens were into, not one ounce was it from Amy. But she still had artists that she liked. She's more obsessed with the current scientific gossip, which probably includes male and female scientists alike."

Frank got the vegetables off the fire and covered the unoccupied tray with aluminum foil. He then put the sausages and chicken on the grill.

"Amy and I are inseparable. I think she loves me more than dad and her mother. Once, she and her mother got in an argument, and she barged into my room and asked me if I could accompany her. I was 17 back then and Dad had this vintage cafe racer motorcycle that he would sometimes let me use. Let's just say we reached Carmel-by-the-Sea and went home at 9 p.m."

Frank laughed at their antics. "Well, guess who got grounded? I took the blame so that Amy wouldn't worry about anything. Although, she got worried when I got grounded, but really, it's no big deal 'cause school year's ending and I've got nothing much to do."

In great wonder, Sheldon vacated his chair and stood near the grill. "Tell me more."

"Did she tell you that Boo Bear thing?"

"Yeah. You know what, when she moved into my apartment, she strutted with her gigantic harp and did so like she owned the place. Eventually. we had to help her move the other things because she needed to rest after hauling the harp," Sheldon bragged, amused that she was still like she used to be when she was a child.

"See, that woman is a badass!"

"I suppose she is," he responded dreamily. "Anything interesting?"

Frank clicked his tongue. "Did you know that Amy and I attended community college?"

"To . . . what?"

Frank sneered. "To study, silly. Amy and I both got associate's degrees in a community college in Santa Barbara. Well, I got it a few months after graduating from high school, and Amy got hers a few days before graduating from high school. Funny story, her degree was for formalities' sake. That girl took so many classes that they gave her three associates in the sciences and a certificate in Computer Science. All the while, she's still a high school student!"

His eyes widen at the new information, jaw almost dropping. "That's impressive! I think she might have beaten me. I always tell my friends that I do have the most degrees out of the group."

"It is. And I always knew that she was going to Harvard. I vowed that I would also be there in Massachusetts. She was 15, and I know how college kids work. I got in at Tufts and stayed there until I graduated when she was a sophomore."

"Did you meet the mother of your first child there?" Not that he wanted to meddle in someone else's life, he found Frank's stories interesting, not only Amy's upbringing but also his own life.

"Yeah, an education major at Tufts. We were together for a year and a half. And right when we graduated and subsequently broke up, she told me that she was pregnant."

Sheldon frowned upon the predicament. He never would have imagined being stuck in that situation. He knew he would make an immature decision. "Were you afraid that you're going to be a father, much so, a father right after you got separated? That's too much responsibility, Frank."

Frank flashed a timid smile. "Everyone is afraid, Sheldon," he started as he became wistful. "Even those people who are ready for a child still question their capabilities. Abortion crossed my mind, but I always think that my parents didn't abort me, so why would I do that to my child. We tried getting back again after my daughter's birth, but that didn't work out."

It got Sheldon thinking. If he listened to people more often, he'd learn more about them than they'd learned about him. Seeing that what they'll learn from Sheldon are riddled with scientific jargon, it might be the reason people dread when he talks.

"When did you meet Dee?"

"It's a long story, Sheldon, but our paths crossed in Cornell when I was in the fifth year of my doctorate."

"How did you two meet?"

"Hero." Frank turned to him briefly and reminisced. "She told you she's a vet, right?"

He nodded, shrieks heard from the background as the three were enjoying themselves.

"Well, one cold December night, I was on my way to buy my provisions for the week. I looked down at the shrubs where I parked my motorcycle and saw 2 circular glows wedged into it. I peeked and, right there, this tiny, little cat was curled into the icy dirt, squeaking weakly. I looked around to see if the mama cat was there or if he had any siblings but to no avail. I rushed him into my apartment and warmed him up for 1 hour straight."

"And then you brought the cat to the clinic?"

"Yes, I rode my motorcycle while the kitten was secured inside my jacket. The people at Cornell's animal hospital were shocked when I showed up with my helmet and pulled out something from my jacket. They thought I was robbing them or something, but all I had in there was baby Hero. I noticed Dee right away. Thought she was pretty. But I didn't notice her truly the next morning when I had to pick up Hero."

The men shared a laugh at the almost mishap.

"That's pretty interesting. How does that feel? Meeting someone and having that connection with them?" Sheldon asked as he was handed the tongs, and Frank gesturing that he grill the steaks.

"Well, it's not really a connection at first. It took me 2 months just to ask her to have coffee with me. But during those 2 months, Hero and I would always visit the clinic and she was always there, always smiling, always ready to give Hero his shots. The last part wasn't sweet, but I knew I would like to meet her personally because of her kindness toward Hero." Frank instructed, "Make one of them well done. Dee and I will be sharing, so decide what temperature you'd want for your steak."

"How come you and Amy seemed like the polar opposite? You ride motorcycles, you want to have girlfriends, you got someone pregnant at a very young age, you're in the liberal arts . . ." Sheldon listed as he turned the steak 90 degrees.

"We are different from each other, but Amy and I, we were brought up together. We know each other's likes and dislikes. We know each other's weaknesses. We know each other more than we know our parents," Frank answered lovingly. "I compromise because she's younger than me. But I've noticed—and this is interesting—she does compromise, too. Even though she's young—I moved into college when she was 12—she knew how to connect with me. It's true what they say: girls mature earlier than boys."

Frank continued, looking out in the distance. "But Amy, I think, was born a lady."


	23. Return the Favor

"Ladies, you have been summoned for dinner."

Amy saw her husband standing on the porch. _That's the least clothes I've seen on him this day_ , she thought as she gazed upon him. Only his sweater and his pants. No mittens. No hat. No thick and heavy coat. However, his arms were crossed upon his chest, vigorously rubbing his triceps. Being on the porch probably gave him false hope that he will not be exposed to the elements.

"You want to try?" Dee shouted back as she and Sunny trudged up the slope.

It wasn't that high. A good two and a half feet difference in height from the bottom to the top of the slope, running down 100 feet before it ends in the treeline. Probably the reason why he and Frank had been hearing giggles from upstairs. The girls had been enjoying themselves too much.

"No, thank you. I might crash; I do not have full control of my body weight," he replied, apologetically.

The sun had set now but its scarlet remains still illuminated the place, aiding the lamp posts strategically placed in the area.

Amy trailed behind her niece. Sheldon went inside the basement as he waited for them to catch up.

She saw that pensive expression on his face as he looked outside. Locking behind the french doors, Amy turned to Sheldon. "You and Frank had a great talk?"

"We did," he responded back, flashing Amy a timid smile.

Momentarily, Amy let the footsteps fell as Dee and Sunny ascend the stairs, gazing for their feet to disappear.

Amy faced him and whispered, "Did you smoke the cigar?" clutching his arms. She saw her brother bring that coveted cigar case that he had for years. Her dad's tradition of lighting a cigar during important events or meeting important people happened to be inherited by her brother.

Sheldon furrowed his forehead. "You know I despise smoking."

"And you drank with him?" She stared at him like a child would if they caught someone doing something wrong. Sheldon seemed undeterred by Amy's childlike lecture.

"That, I can participate. It was craft beer. And my, it was delicious," he chuckled, reddening on his ear tips and cheeks.

Amy joined in his laughter, patting his arm. "Now, don't get drunk alright," she feigned a warning.

She noticed how his reddened face grew into a smile so mischievous and precarious that Amy knew something might be up.

Amy pulled away slowly as she looked at him incredulously. "Why are you grinning like the Joker?" Surprised to know that she knew about the Joker and his distinctive, manic sneer.

"We had a great conversation." He nodded slowly, still grinning.

Amy gasped in shock. "I'm hoping it has nothing to do with me."

"Nothing to do with you?" He laughed haughtily. "Oh, Amy . . . Why else would I have a conversation with Frank? It's to know more about you!"

"That's unfair," Amy replied in a huff, pouting like Sheldon always does.

"Not at all! Given that I told you my stories, I deserve the right to know yours, even though I had to gather that information from your brother." His reply seemed to release him off the hook.

Amy was caressing his arms up and down, gazing at him in pure authenticity. Maybe this was what Frank was talking about. Maybe he'd seen it all along yet he didn't know how to name it. The thoughtfulness they were discussing; this was it. Right in front of him. Just a mere twenty minutes after they were talking about it.

In pure amazement, Sheldon ran his eyes in every possible surface of Amy's face. Her crimson cheeks and nose from the cold. Her green eyes, dark yet discreet. The soft light of a nearby lantern highlighted her features twofold.

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her mid-back, nestling his chin on her shoulders. Even though the layers of Amy's clothing were sensibly compact, he managed to find the warmth he's been craving.

"Why are we hugging?" Amy responded. It didn't take her a second to reciprocate his affection. As soon as Sheldon motioned his head on her neck, her arms had a mind of its own and hooked them beneath his armpits, resting it against his firm shoulder blades.

"I just like hugging people," he muttered under his breath, inhaling a whiff of what's left of her sheltered hair.

"No, you don't," she responded in incredulity. As far as she'd known, Sheldon was not a fan of hugging. Once he told her that he caught the flu due to a simple mistake of hugging Penny.

"Well, you're my _people_ . . . so that counts."

His statement rendered her all sentimental. "Aww, you're one of my people too, Sheldon." Amy held him at arm's length."It's my birthday tomorrow," she said, bouncing on her step. Even dancing in split second.

He bobbed his head and cheered up. "That it will be. Where are you planning on celebrating?"

Amy grinned impishly and began ascending the stairs. "That'll be a secret."

"Oh, alright," he said, downcasted, but then, a renewed enthusiasm ensued. "Any clues that you might be able to share?"

Amy pivoted from the steps and incited, "Well, somewhere cold."

"That's pretty vague." Sheldon cocked his head. "How about another one?"

"Somewhere high."

Sheldon approached her at the bottom of the staircase. "A mountain! Don't tell me you'd bring us hiking?! That's undoubtedly dangerous, Amy! Do you know how many have perished scaling the mighty, snow-laden mountain? Because I do, and I don't want to be an addition to the casualties."

"No, silly. Most mountain trails are closed during winter, with a few exceptions. But I'm an amateur at hiking, so are you, so is Sunny, and I think it would be brutal if we do that on my birthday."

Sheldon shrugged and agreed.

"Okay! Come on, let's eat. I love it when Frank cooks. And with your help, I love it even more!"

Dinner had been served quickly and destroyed at a rather similar pace. Steak had been cooked and cut into perfection; Dee had only a few slices of the well-done steak and ordered Frank to finish the remaining. To extend courtesy, Sheldon only got pieces that compared into half a steak but got two skewers of chicken kebab and a whole lot of roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes. Amy indulged herself in grilled peaches and vanilla ice cream and beer. Hero got to eat alongside them, of course with his own cat food. While Sunny became the oddest child Sheldon had seen in the dining table. She all went for the vegetables! Sure Sunny had a few pieces of meat, but that girl went for half a butternut squash like she was eating a tub of ice cream.

Later, they played board games on the screened porch as an authentic fireplace (not the fake one in Amy's apartment!) heat up the hardwood floors. Cool draft from the outside started blowing inside the porch as they chatted and played. With nothing illuminating the outside, the only light in there was from the fireplace and a few lamps situated on the corners.

The fear of wildlife was always there for Sheldon as they were practically separated from nature by two layers of thick and thin screen surrounding the porch. Eventually, the fear transformed into the merriment of kindred spirits. Amidst the snowfall, they shared tales and laughter and a bit of alcohol. They retired at 10 in the evening—Sunny got to coax her father into foregoing her 9 p.m. bedtime to participate in their games.

Amy lay awake on the twin bed. Her niece sleeping peacefully on the bed next to her. Hero curled above the sheets, keeping guard of his human. She looked at her phone. _10:20._ Slowly pulling away her comforter, she wore her slippers and walked the remaining steps to the door. It creaked a little as she pulled it open, enough to fit her body through the opening.

Crossing the hallway, Amy opened the door to Sheldon's bedroom, peeking her head and seeing him laying flat on his right side of the bed. Pulling the covers quietly, she climbed into bed with him, even rousing Sheldon from sleep.

"It's me," whispered Amy as she pecked his cheek. Sheldon just groaned and returned to his slumber.

She was already half asleep when she felt the weight beside her disappear. With her sleepy eyes, she followed Sheldon's back as he went out of the room, leaving the door ajar as light streamed in.

Moving to her side, Amy tried to go back to sleep when she suddenly felt a cold whiff of air. It was followed by the rustling of the sheets as warm air blew on her neck. Strong arms wrapped around her waist and a low hum vibrated through her body.

She opened her eyes and glanced back. Amy knew right away that smell. With the aid of the moonlight, his features were prominent, carving out the right side of his face.

Amy held his arms and pressed her body on his. It was rare to get a Sheldon Cooper cuddle, and she couldn't pass up the moment. What a wonderful experience for Sheldon to warm her like this in snowy New Hampshire. She could get a hug from Sheldon, sleep peacefully, and not get cold, all at the same time.

Sheldon deviated from her plans of falling back to sleep when she felt him prodding against her bottom, followed by feather kisses on her nape. Her hair started rising at the sloppy contact. Seconds of that, Sheldon laid her on her back and loomed over her. They stared for a split second before Sheldon's face stooped down on hers, making the contact as delicate.

His lips ended up in hers. Slow, long movements at first, taking in each other's taste. As soon as Sheldon had done his tasting, his tongue prodded on her mouth, asking for entrance. Amy, for one, liked Sheldon's kisses. She encouraged him. Matching his fervor, Amy tilted back her head to get a better angle.

"I was—hmm—thinking," he said between kisses.

Out of breath, Amy tried to respond, "Y-Yes?"

Sheldon backed up, giving both the ability to catch their breath. He started softly caressing her cheek, leering at her intensely. "That I won't be able to give you my gift tomorrow . . . so I'll make it up to you now," murmured Sheldon, his lips just a few inches from hers.

Amy moaned, breathing warm air upon him and ran her hands on his chest, ultimately draping her arms on his neck. The whereabouts of his flannel pajama top was a mystery. She didn't notice if Sheldon wore it as she entered the room or he was wearing this white undershirt all along.

"How so?" Amy challenged the game Sheldon was playing. It was hot, exceptionally hot.

He brought his head down to her ears, whispering in his virile tone, "Remember that thing you did to me."

"What thing?"

"Well, I just thought I could give it back to you." Somehow, Sheldon's hand discovered the existence of her creamy thigh. He caressed her thigh gently along its surface. He deftly bunched up her long nightgown in one swoop and fitted his hand on her core.

"Ooh . . ." she moaned as she felt light, titillating touches upon her cotton panties.

"Yeah, that's right. That thing," Sheldon muttered as though attempting to stress that, indeed, he needed to do that thing. However, he wavered at her reaction. He couldn't see Amy's face. "Amy, we don't have to do it if you don't want to," Sheldon thoughtfully asked, halting at his ministrations.

She furrowed her brows and shuffled in her position. "Why wouldn't I want it? Do you think I overstepped?" Was this too much for both of them? Remembering that time when she pleasured Sheldon, everything didn't fall according to plan. Of course, the act ended well, Sheldon was disoriented and brimming with hormones, but the squabble after that was horrible.

He held his head down for a second, reminiscing about what happened. "I just thought that my outburst might have made any physical contact between us uncomfortable. I just want to make sure that you're not against what I will bestow upon you."

Amy sighed, stroking his collarbones. "Would I move into your bedroom if I didn't expect something like this to happen? I'm always expecting, Sheldon. We've been practically making out in front of my brother. Do you think that made our interactions a bit comfortable?"

"Fair point." He nodded. Returning to her hips, Sheldon went closer, breathing on her. "Do I have your permission?"

Amy arched her back, pressing her breast on his chest, eliciting a thrust from his hips. "How about we start the job now and quit talking."

"As you wish, Madam."

Amy felt his lips once again. This time, she can feel it clearly, and she can feel him explicitly on her unclothed thigh. She welcomed his tongue asking for entry, bold yet gentle as they both groaned. _Hoo._

Sheldon traveled down her neck, grazing every inch of flesh as she mewled in pleasure. He adored the reaction that could make his wife moan in pleasure. What he adored more was that just hearing her cry in delight made him more confident to please her.

He drew his hand up her thigh, pushing her nightgown carefully up her body. He felt thrilling haptic fervor as he felt the bare skin of Amy's abdomen. He ran his hand across her soft stomach. The body of a woman he held so dear, perfectly embodying the woman he admired for years. Nothing of it was out of the ordinary, nothing of it was different. It was just Amy. The Amy he'd known for 4 years now.

As his fondling ascended, bare skin still welcomed him. No barrier that he expected. A grin formed on his face at the realization. "Hmm . . . No bra," Sheldon muttered on Amy's neck as his palm ran upon the valley of her breasts, mischievously diverting from the treasures.

"I don't wear one when I sleep," Amy responded, breathless. Sheldon was still relentless on her neck, but his hand movements extended to the mellow side of him.

"As expected. Your nipples would penetrate on your nightgown every time our paths would cross in the morning." She heard a deep chuckle on her neck. "I don't care for it in the past, but seeing how beautiful you are, you should've gotten it in Pasadena."

Her sanity ended there, right when Sheldon pulled up her nightgown, removing it away from her skin. She lay bare on her back as Sheldon viewed her from above. The removal of her nightgown urged her arms to carry itself above her head, giving Sheldon the full display.

She couldn't see properly without her glasses, but Sheldon knelt, her legs splayed, admiring her as she moved her body.

"I have a secret." He crawled back to her, a grin formed in his lips. "When we were still in Pasadena I once heard you in the bathroom. I didn't understand what it was at that time, but I think I got the idea now. You were moaning, and you thought I wouldn't be able to hear you. Suppress it all you want but I know you moaned my name, and I guess you will right now."

Amy gasped in shock. "Sheldon!" slapping his chest playfully but with a hint of humiliation. _Oh, God, he heard me!_

"Yes, that exact name. But not too loud. We don't want anyone to hear you." Before she could protest, with little to no light, Sheldon found his way into her bosom. Pleasing her right with light kisses, but soon transcended into full-on sucking. His other hand found its way to her left breast, massaging it, pinching her nipples lightly.

"J-Just keep going," was the only thing Amy could say, gripping tight on his shirt.

"You bet I will," he muttered as his movements fluctuated from soft and delicate to rough and animalistic. "I might be able to return the favor, after all."

There was a time where the mere thought of this would appall her. There was also a time where she knew this would happen. Not very soon, not too long, either. Sheldon's arrival to her picturesque, New England town made her believe the impossible.

The proximity was jaw-dropping, even she couldn't tell if Sheldon was really comfortable with their contact. Was he having second thoughts? With the rate of their dalliance, how his touches were steady yet heated, it seemed like he wasn't.

Amidst the pleasure and delight, Amy asked herself: Am I having second thoughts? She peeked at the man she promised her life with. He stilled, looking at her intently, figuring out if something was wrong, halting his ministrations because of Amy's sudden silence.

Just from Sheldon's looks, Amy knew that whatever thoughts she was having, it wasn't tentative or indecisive. Much so, it was just pure ecstasy with just a hint of nervousness. Nothing she didn't experience some time ago.

To assure him and herself, Amy caressed his jaw, feeling that microscopic facial hair Sheldon had grown. At first glance, it seemed invisible, but as she touched his face, the hair started tickling her. Amy flashed him a timid smile and drew his face down, searching for the rhythm that was temporarily halted.

It took seconds to retrieve it back, and once they unearthed it, they were game on.

Sheldon returned to his ministrations down. Ignoring the temptations of her supple breasts, Sheldon carried on showing affection to other parts of her body. Her stomach was worshipped by a man who appreciated her. Her abdomen was adored where the temple of life lay hidden, waiting for the righteous man worthy to be her honorable guest. Her thighs admired the security of her womanhood.

Amy couldn't be bothered to suppress her moans. She could but a certain swipe at her core made her moans resonate in their room.

Soon enough, Sheldon managed to pull down her panties. He ran his finger upon her opening, feeling the wetness he had brought upon her.

With his head on the crook of his neck, his fingers hit the right spot, causing Amy to arch her back. "Oooh, right there, Sheldon," she cried, clutching his biceps tighter.

And so he did. His fingers focused on the hood of her clitoris, stimulating it lightly, letting the pleasure build up in every flick. And yet in every flick, it seemed like there was a different tune to Amy's cries. Some soft and weak, some quick and sharp, some deep and long. It was definitely an experiment for another time.

Sheldon slowed down his ministrations. So far Amy hadn't writhed in pleasure yet, which meant that her orgasm was still eluding them.

Amy felt how Sheldon's fingers slid its way down in search of something. As she can't see his face, she relied on the movements of his fingers. She felt one circling her opening, perceiving the new sensations that ensued.

With one agonizing push, Sheldon's finger penetrated what used to be uncharted territory. Hearing the auditory evidence of Amy's pleasure brought a titillating amount of satisfaction his way.

"Ahhh . . ." Amy gasped as the intrusion brought another set of sensations. "Sheldon . . . please."

Sheldon didn't need to be told a second time. When Amy got accustomed to his finger, Sheldon plunged in a second one, doing slow deep strokes. As he felt hands tightly clutching his neck Sheldon knew that Amy would not be happy if he continued these slow strokes.

Still resting on her neck, he drew his thumb on her clit, drawing another type of cry. His fingers inside of her had dwindled to a stop, focusing his attention on how to play with Amy's most sensitive part.

Tightening and tightening, he made his ministrations faster and stronger as Amy moaned in pleasure. Her breaking point only after Sheldon simultaneously fingered her and pushed down on her clit.

"Ahh, Sheldon!" Just as he was expecting, she called his name. Giving him the honor to be the one deserving of her.

Amy's labored breaths whiffed on his ears. He grazed his mouth on her neck and drew it up to her lips, giving her an open-mouthed kiss worthy of a photo. She arched her back, her skin pushing against the thin barrier of his shirt. Clamping her small hands on his hair, Amy drew him closer to her, letting him hear what goodness he had brought upon her body.

Carefully, Sheldon pulled his fingers from her inside, knowledgeable enough that if he pursued on his ministrations, Amy would be pushing away from his overwhelming touch.

He gazed at her face, still ecstatic that he couldn't brave to bother. Landing an intense kiss on her lips, Sheldon turned away to wash up. Of course not before he could tell her how much she adored Amy.

Amy lay shaken upon the bed. Orgasms were of her expertise during her graduate years, participating in such experiments that stimulated the nerves associated with sexual pleasure. That tradition had carried on outside of experiments, just to alleviate stress and feel a little bit of high. A hundred orgasm and so far, the one initiated by Sheldon, and Sheldon alone, was the one to beat.

Alongside the pleasure and arousal, Sheldon's had an emotional aspect to it. She blanked out halfway through, failing to hear all the musings Sheldon had been whispering in her ears.

She breathed heavily as Sheldon returned from the bathroom. He stooped down the floor gathering what clothing he threw there, and then climbing into bed. He dropped a kiss on Amy's cheek, laying his hands on her stomach and feeling the rise and fall of her breathing, now calmed down after the storm.

Amy held his arm lovingly. Now he's wearing his flannel top that he'd removed during their dalliance. She turned her head into him, face to face with Sheldon, with the remaining strength she could muster, Amy muttered, "Sheldon, you're changing."


	24. Mountainous Birthday Bash

_Amy held his arm lovingly. Now he's wearing his flannel top that he'd removed during their dalliance. She turned her head into him, face to face with Sheldon, with the remaining strength she could muster, Amy muttered, "Sheldon, you're changing."_

Amy rubbed his chest. "I apologize, Sheldon. Please, let's not do this right now. We won't be going until 8 tomorrow. Let's talk before that, please."

The morning turned quickly as expected. Amy woke up earlier than him. She quickly dressed for the day's festivities. It was her birthday, after all, making her all too excited to spend the day with the people closest to her.

Leaving a fleece top and pants in Sheldon's bed, she wrote a note saying: _'Good morning, Sheldon. Wear long johns underneath these. And bring that backpack I told you to pack. I'll see you later. Amy x.'_

She waited in the kitchen with her morning cup of coffee. Snowfall excited her as she looked out the picture windows, giving a view of winter. Her brother woke up the same time as her, plowing the driveway for their day's journey.

As she waited, messages came filling her inbox. From relatives, some people she knew from work, and oddly, a text from Penny wishing her a happy birthday and checking in on Sheldon who she hadn't talked to since he disappeared. The time difference told her that it was 3 a.m. on the west coast. Even her parents still hadn't greeted her. On how Penny managed to message her that early was still a mystery.

The group had nothing to give but support when they heard about Sheldon's disappearance. It didn't come out as odd. Everybody was expecting that one day, in the middle of Amy's stay in New Hampshire, Sheldon will be clambering after her. It was a matter of when, instead of if and how.

So by the morning he was discovered to have vanished, his suitcase missing, two people were immediately contacted. The first was no other than Mary. Although she was his last contact, Sheldon was not in Texas. That brought them to Amy. Calling her at 8 in the morning (their 5 a.m.), they were elated to know that Amy was just about to pick up breakfast for a shivering Sheldon who decided that wearing a coat in winter was too cool for the hotshot physicist.

Sheldon's footsteps brought her back to reality. Wearing that matching all-black sweater and pants and light blue backpack, he looked like a youngster ready to hit the wintery streets of New Hampshire. His early arrival gave them more time to talk about what they left last night.

After a cup of hot tea, Amy dragged him outside, not without forgetting their gloves and coat, to avoid any disturbances. The plow ran noisily in the background as they held hand in hand beyond the porch. Leading him further into the trees beside the house, Amy took her time to walk with him.

All along, Sheldon thought they were just sitting on the porch but Amy's insistence to go further into the forest was chilling.

"A-Amy, where are we going?" He looked back in fright as the cabin was slowly getting obstructed by thick, snow-laden spruce trees and tall, slender white birches that towered the spruces.

Amy turned to him and gave him an assuring smile. "Don't worry. I just want you to bring you to a nearby creek."

Sheldon believed her. He believed her more when seconds later, he could hear water rushing calmly. Closer and closer and the presence of water proved its existence. A promising feat to have witnessed one of the many tributaries of a major river in New Hampshire. He looked back and he still can see the smoke coming out from their cabin's chimney. _That's comforting._

Frozen rocks and boulders were along the banks of the stream, surrounded by a blanket thick snow on the feet on the trees. Amy decided to bring them close enough to the stream that small, icy splashes of water hit their feet. They sat at one of the makeshift benches, probably made by the cabin's owner from wood scraps. Using their gloved hands, they swept away the block of snow accumulated on its surface.

"We're talking," Amy began as she sat sideways, tucking her leg underneath her bottom, just to face Sheldon. It was her way to tell Sheldon that he could start with whatever's bothering him.

"You said I was changing." He dove headfirst to the topic at hand. If he prolonged this even further, chances are Amy will be unhappy and miserable.

"Yes, you are."

He shook his head adamantly. "But I don't like to change. I can't change. This doesn't make any sense, Amy."

Amy stared at him plainly, no evidence of good or bad emotion. She seemed very nonchalant about this. "You told me you love me, right?"

_For the love of God . . ._

He slumped down and sighed, glancing at her in defeat. "How many times do I have to tell you? Of course I do!"

Amy cocked her head and smiled coyly. "Well, did you love me last year?"

"No," he abruptly responded, unable to connect the dots. He stared for a while, Amy in anticipation as Sheldon soon realized the point. "Oh, that was a change," whispered Sheldon.

A smile crept on Amy's face as she nodded. "Exactly. I was not saying that you changed fully. I don't want that; I'm used to the old Sheldon. I'm just saying that there are things that you say or do that you usually don't in the past."

He gasped. "For example, Sheldon Cooper loving you is a change that I've only come to realize when you moved away."

"That's spot on," she commended, patting his knee.

Sheldon gazed at her beneath his lashes, intense but dubious, uncertain if what he's about to do was acceptable. "I love you, Amy. I-In case I haven't made it clear," he stuttered.

Hearing those words was not foreign to her anymore. Sheldon had declared it a handful of times and since then, the initial shock brought by those words dwindled down into a comfortable sensation. Amy knew he loved her, and every time he uttered those words, she knew he meant well. "I know that, Sheldon."

Still gazing at her intensely, he whispered. "D-Do you feel the same towards me?"

After the gift-giving of yesternight, it was the only thing Sheldon could muster. Now that he can think of it, he felt like a lunatic coaxing Amy to do as he wished. He doesn't want that, despite the fact of having the quality. What he wanted was to be with Amy. Whether she tells him that she loves him or not, Sheldon wished to be with her. But the persistent side of him still wouldn't give up.

A light snicker was the thing Amy could offer. She just hoped Sheldon didn't find it offensive when she did. It was her way of remembering their past conversations about this matter. Sheldon really was a stubborn man. As her laughter waned, she moved closer to him.

"Why are we fixating on me finally saying this 'I love you' thing to you?" She smiled wistfully, looking out at his emotions. "Isn't how I treat you, how I care for you, how I hold you dear speaks for those words that badly want to hear?"

He squared his jaw and looked away. "But this one's different."

She removed her glove and held his cheek. Motioning his face to look at her, Amy's lips came to him. She pulled away quickly to see his face dazed, his lake blue hooded eyes digging into her. "I know it is, but remember what I said when we were up that viewing deck," she laid out gently. "That actions speak louder than words. That I can prove your importance to me just as well from my actions alone, Sheldon."

He stuck his lower lip out. "But why does Frank get it?"

"The 'I love you'?" Amy said in shock, laughing afterward. "I've known the man my whole life, Sheldon! We knew each other before it even sank in. I've shared triumphs and defeats with him. We've lived on opposite coasts for 7 years now and that man never failed to support me every step of the way. Even if he has a family that he loves deeply, he never shunned me out. And that's why he gets an I love you."

"But that doesn't mean you don't get one from me."

Sheldon sighed, producing another round of smoke from his mouth. "You're right," he answered, defeated. It would be futile to keep on arguing. "I shouldn't be acting this way."

"No, you're not wrong for feeling that way. But you have to understand that even if I don't utter the words, I want you to feel that you are very much appreciated. For everybody who stood by you, despite your difficulties—their words, not mine—know that they did stay for a reason."

They did. For the longest time. Despite the fact that he was a condescending, entitled prick who had nothing to say but how good he was and how bad everybody else, some people stayed. While some didn't even last a day, some remained for years. Not through coercion. Not through bribery. But they just did. Even if sometimes they want him gone.

"I've been asking questions since we got here, but I have one for you." He gaped at her in reluctance and a bit of pain. "Why is it so difficult to say those words?"

"Sheldon . . ." Amy responded weakly. She knew very well the feeling of anticipation. Sheldon described it to her once: it felt like tiny needlepoints abrading his nape violently, the salient poking of his scalp to the point of hallucinatory bleeding. "I've never had such profound affection for anyone before. Other than my family, I never thought to hear that delicate remark from anyone. And hearing it from you terrifies me."

"I've never told it to anyone other than my family, either. It took me some time to think, and I was afraid that the feeling would not be reciprocated," he confessed in remorse. Admitting to something, especially when it does have to do with his ego, was frightening. Even if it was Amy, it still made his stomach turn upside down.

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Clearly, I didn't tell anyone other than my family before. But I'm frightened by the thought of saying those words and getting heartbroken afterward. Being married complicates it even more. If we separate—"

Sheldon cut her off. "Which will be impossible."

"Only if, Sheldon," she stressed out, giving him a solemn look. "If we happen to separate, even if the divorce is uncontested, it will take months or even a year before that is processed. Do you know how much pain that would inflict if I ever got deeply in love with you?"

"You're not taking me into account, Amy. If I really did love you so much, wouldn't I be the one in greater pain?" he responded frustratingly. Sighing, Sheldon held his head down and muttered, "I'm being selfish."

Amy shook her head immediately. "Don't beat yourself up just because your opinions and mine oppose each other." Sheldon drew his head up, gazing at her. "And I know a few reasons why you wouldn't be in so much pain."

"What is that?"

"Science is there, patiently waiting for you to open your arms again. I've been informed that sometimes when personal things don't go your way, you numb it with science," she revealed, "And if we break up, all your friends are there with you. I know the girls and I have been getting along lately, but let's face it, they'll choose to stay by you. And honestly, with that, I've got no one, really. I can't just relocate here to be with my brother. My parents and I have not been that close since the beginning. It's just too much, Sheldon."

He saw the split second of pain in her eyes, glistening as the sun started to rise. _So, this is what my life is now. I've got science, friends, and a family, particularly a mother who's been on my side from the beginning. Now I've got Amy but she barely has someone in her life._

"While I applaud you for considering the possibilities at the event of our separation, I don't think that it will ever happen. You only convinced me further that I need _you_ more than you need me. Frankly, even if my friends are there, my mother on the first flight to LA, and science knocking at my door, who wants to hang out with people awkwardly just because they hung out with your ex-wife a few hours ago, who wants a Christian fanatic who has got nothing but bible verses to solve problems, and who wants to do science if the only thing I see in my whiteboard is a figment of you through my scribbles. Even if we break up, all those things that you said I have, they're all useless." He heaved deeply as his emotions surged their way from his chest to his head. _Don't cry, Sheldon. Don't cry, Sheldon. Crying is for losers, Sheldon!_

Amy noticed the change in his expression, especially that sad twinkle in his eyes. A certain hitch in his breath drew Amy to hug him. "It's okay, Sheldon. Let it out . . ."

He said, "I'm not crying," when clearly he was. The evident attempt to stop sniffling made Amy realize that there's something beneath this. The way small hiccups blew into her ear. The way his stomach rapidly contracted. The way his unperceivable hold on her became perceivable, his arms fastening weakly on her. "I'm not crying . . ." he defended again in a slur.

Amy pulled him away from her and started wiping the tears off his face using her mittens. "We won't tell anyone that you cried."

"Because I didn't." He still defended himself even though snot came out of his nose and his eyes a tinge of red.

"Who cried?" Amy asked innocently, winking as she chuckled lightly. "And this is why I told what I said last night. I can see that you are changing."

He groaned gruffly yet weak. "For the last time, I am not. I just do things differently."

She chuckled again, holding her palms up to assure Sheldon. "Okay, okay, let's no fight over this, please. There are things that you did these past few days that I know you wouldn't in the past."

Gazing at Amy, he sighed, defeated that he will be confessing to yet another fact. "I've got to admit, that one is true. There are things that I do now that I didn't in the past."

"Isn't that a change?"

"I'll never win with you," he said, sobbing softly. "But I don't want to call it a change. I prefer to call it an evolution. A Sheldon Cooper evolution. Homo Novus 2.0 with a few approved and advantageous developments that skew in your favor."

Amy held her finger up and clarified, "In _our_ favor."

Sheldon smiled timidly and nodded his head. "Okay. In our favor."

* * *

The anticipation was poignant as the day's snowfall.

Before they left the creek, he greeted Amy a happy birthday. Mainly because he sort of forgot it after last night's festivities and his snot-riddled morning outside. A kiss on the lips and he and Amy were swooning as they returned to the cabin, garnering weird looks from her family. _They must have thought we had sex!_ _Who does public sex, and in winter, no less?!_

After a hearty meal of pancakes and authentic maple syrup at a local diner, Amy couldn't contain her excitement. She can see Sheldon cooped up on the other side of Sunny's car seat, waiting to acquire any intel from anyone other than Amy.

The truth was, Amy asked all of them to keep the secret under wraps. It was her birthday, but she wanted to surprise Sheldon by not telling him where they were going. She knew he would be adamant about accepting it but experiencing the changes he'd been displaying had renewed her beliefs.

Most of her birthdays were spent with either Frank or her parents. After her Columbia stint last year, she went straight away to New Hampshire to celebrate her birthday and the holidays.

It wasn't as exciting as this year's but spending the whole day with animals in Dee's workplace with Frank and Sunny was something she will cherish. And for the holidays, well, the location where they will be going was where they spent Christmas last year.

They arrived after thirty minutes of driving. She couldn't tell if Sheldon was exhilarated or his face was a manifestation of pure horror.

"Are you okay?" she asked in concern as Sheldon gazed out at the snowy slopes pouring upon the mountain. It was a Wednesday, which meant that not a lot of people will be skiing that day. She handed him Frank's ski jacket and pants that her brother gladly lent for him.

"We're going skiing?" He slowly stared at Amy, beaming at him in delight. The redness in his eyes had dissipated when he took a nap in the car.

"Yes! It's good that you get to tag along. Frank only bought lift tickets enough for the four of us. Good thing he managed to get one for you too."

"Isn't that dangerous?" He swallowed hard after seeing the enticing but dubious scenery.

"It's only dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. Plus, if you do something dangerous, it will definitely backfire."

"This is my first time skiing," he whispered, following Amy as they neared the reception area.

"I believe you."

"Once my parents brought us to Santa Fe and we went somewhere similar to this. Missy and I were 3 and was only allowed the snowboard for kids. And it's not that exciting because the snowboard was barely moving. I could have applied all my physics knowledge in that experience but my father was having none of it."

"I'm sure you will apply all the complex physics understanding that you have right there," Amy said as she pointed on his temple.

The adventure went on for about 5 hours. Sheldon's first ride on the ski lift, he was accompanied by Frank and Sunny, as Amy and Dee rode in front of them. Frank taught him how to properly disembark on the lift while wearing skis, letting your feet parallel to the ground so that when it touches, you just let the lift push you away from it. The thought of it frightened him but seeing how calm Sunny and Frank were encouraged him to trust them.

A few lessons were taught to him and Amy. For Amy, it was only the refresher she needed, and she was ready. Sheldon needed to learn from the basics. How to use his skis to stop, how to use his ski poles properly, how ski poles are not that important but you need to hold on to them anyway, not leaning back and forward too much, bending your knees when you lean forward and by doing that apparently increases your speed.

For the first ride down, they all went together. Sunny led the pack with her no ski poles expertise, followed by Frank and Dee, and then it was him and Amy behind them. Another lesson he learned was to keep distance to whoever you're with. Fortunately, they were on a beginner slope, and Amy quickly slowed down and steered away from him, avoiding an ill-fated collision.

It took one more ride before Sheldon could grasp everything he'd been taught. By the third try, he confidently used his ski poles once, a look of delight beneath his reflective goggles was the thing Amy witnessed, warming her heart.

As the day progressed, Sheldon became more confident with himself, even asking Sunny into a race. Being ten times heavier than Sunny, he lost the race with a smile and congratulated and even promised Sunny some ice cream, which she gladly accepted even though it was ironic for the season.

They moved to another beginner slope but a little bit steeper and longer than the first. This time, he noticed how Amy was so serious but also enjoying it, very different when he first met her. She was stiff and emotionless back then. He knew from the fact that her display in the past was Amy's defense mechanism against any stranger. It was assuring to know that what Amy was displaying in this trip was the face of someone who's comfortable with her companions. He's glad to be one of them.

The first three hours went by quickly. By then, they were starving and decided to stop by a strategically placed cafe at the peak. While they were waiting, Amy pointed out a historic building at the foot of the mountain.

"Sheldon, look over there," she said, pointing at a red-roofed building displaying its colossal architecture.

"What is that?" He squinted his eyes. The snow glare had partially made his eyes blurry.

"That's the hotel where they signed the Bretton Woods agreement."

He widened his eyes. "Oh . . . I didn't know it was here. That's impressive." Both Amy and the hotel were impressive. He didn't know Amy could dethrone him as the king of facts, she's now the queen of facts. He barely had any knowledge about New Hampshire other than its flag, being one of the 13 colonies, and Alan Shepard's birthplace.

"Constructed at the turn of the 20th century. The mountain behind that is the highest in New England. Your arrival is very unfortunate. There is a biodiesel train that ascends the mountain starting in springtime," she said nonchalantly, a sly grin forming on her mouth.

He quickly stared at his companions as the word 'train' rang in his ears. "Wait, what? A _train_? Like the locomotive. Oh, Amy, you should've started my New Hampshire visit with that factoid!" he shrieked in excitement.

Amy quickly retrieved her phone from her waterproof backpack. She showed Sheldon everything she'd done in New Hampshire for the past 3 months. Amy showing the train that travels up the mountain elicited a shrill from him. Much more when Amy showed him another train trip, this time, along the banks of a certain river, eliciting another reaction: a gasp as he shook Amy by the shoulders.

After much time showing photos and enjoying their light lunch, they spent another 2 hours on the ski resort.

A little over 4 in the afternoon, they were on the road again. This time really off to celebrate Amy's birthday through an old-fashioned dinner, only a few hours earlier because they'd want to go back to the cabin while the sun's still up.

Everybody enjoyed their respective dinners, talking over large portions of meat and tittering over hot beverages. Amy got a free slice of raspberry pie topped with vanilla ice cream, which made Sheldon jealous, so Amy shared it with him.

Having lost to a bet, Sheldon bought Sunny her choice of ice cream. "What would you like?"

"Is a sundae a type of ice cream?" Sunny asked, staring at the chalkboard.

"I believe it is," he answered.

Sunny grinned and announced, "Then I want the sundae, Uncle Sheldon!"

The sundae made him jealous again so he shamelessly bought a box of hot cinnamon rolls for later that evening.

They've arrived back to the back cabin almost 6, by then, the sky had been gloomy, almost starless. Streaks orange and red eluded the state, making a sudden transition from light to dark.

Hero welcomed them by the door, yelling for his dinner. They've played in the basement for a while. This time, Sheldon had beaten Sunny in a game of foosball, proud of his achievement. Amy played pool with her brother and sister-in-law, almost but not quite beating Dee, who apparently grew up with a bunch of pool players.

"Boy, that was exhilarating!" he said to Amy as they crossed paths in the hallway. All freshen up in their PJs, they were off to watch a movie downstairs.

Amy laughed. "It is! Be thankful that Sunny's not a sore loser or else we'd have an inconsolable child in the house."

"Haha, that's funny because an inconsolable child is never fun," he snorted.


	25. Bliss on the White Mountains

Sheldon was roused to the sensation of something pressing on his back, particularly near his shoulder blades. He reached for his phone and saw the time. It struck at 11 p.m.

He was obliged to watch Goonies because, apparently, it was Amy's movie birthday tradition since she was 5. Halfway through the film, everybody had passed out in weariness on the couch. Frank cuddling Sunny in his arms and Dee slouching over his shoulder, draping her arm across his chest. On the other side of the couch, Sheldon's head slipped down to Amy's chest as her head was tilted against the backrest.

They were all awoken by Hero's dispensable prodding and nudging, only to witness the white, tiny text against the black plain of the credits rolling on the screen. It was safe to say that Amy's movie tradition was fractured by a day of skiing down the mountains and the warm orange light of the living room that made all of them so sleepy.

A pair of arms wrapped around his waist as he tried to remember the events leading up to this. After the movie, they slipped into their respective rooms. The day's activity took a toll on his body, and within seconds of his head hitting the pillow, he fell into a deep slumber. That was three hours ago; very unusual for his sleep schedule.

He can now perceive the warmth on his back, ebbing and flowing as it penetrated into his flannel top. _Amy._ Removing her arms from his waist, Sheldon turned around and watched as her face contorted at the distraction, only to return back to sleep.

"Amy," he whispered. "Happy Birthday."

A small smile formed on his face as he faced Amy. He studied her often when talking to her, but observing her face as she slept had put a new meaning to Amy's presence.

He shuffled nearer, his nose almost touching hers. "I love you, Amy," Sheldon breathed, giving her lips a quick peck before watching her again.

Amy groaned. "Hmm . . . Love you, too."

Sheldon chuckled at the preposterous aspiration. It was true that he wished Amy said that to him. Who wouldn't want to hear those sweet, meaningful words from someone? And hearing it from Amy, as she slept, made his heart flutter. But he knew the gravity of Amy's affection toward him, rending those three words irrelevant. _Amy's enough._ He realized that it was not a big deal, however hard it was to swallow. He realized that time and time again, not everything he wants gets granted. And he's fine with it. He believed in Amy's action and her actions alone.

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Sheldon grabbed and nestled her head on the crook of his neck, caressing her hair gently. He grazed his lips on her head repeatedly until he felt Amy's hand rubbing on his waist. In her half-asleep state, Amy drew her hand on his chest, stroking his sternum slowly.

Befuddled, Sheldon pulled his head away to peek at Amy. Her eyes were closed but a smile formed on her lips as she continued rubbing his chest. At this moment, Sheldon was aware of his wife's state of sleep, or lack thereof. He smiled, kissed her forehead, and cradled her back to his neck.

Not long after snuggling her, Sheldon felt something warm and wet on his neck. It became apparent that Amy had been necking him since the beginning. Her kisses became fervid but still light, brushing against his skin.

He just let Amy be; she might doze off later soon. But his assumptions were proved wrong when, gently, Amy used her whole body to push him on his back, half of her body on top of his. Still dissatisfied, Amy crawled into him as she enveloped her leg to the other side on his thigh, eventually lying upon him.

She stared at Sheldon who seemed undisturbed about her actions and outlined his features. Amy drew her lips closer and sealed a kiss on his lips.

"We've been playing all these days," she grunted between their kisses. "Hmm . . . how about we run to the last base?"

Sheldon pulled away in shock, staring closely at Amy. "Amy, are you sure?" His heart started beating rapidly.

Suddenly, Amy sidetracked, "What time is it?"

Confused, he looked at his phone and then back to her. "It's a few minutes after 11."

Amy grinned. "Well, technically, it's still my birthday." Her voice deepened as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"It is." His voice hitched when he felt Amy moving her hips on his groin. He didn't plan anything to happen that night. He's not appalled, either. One thing he learned about staying in New Hampshire, however ludicrous it was to admit, was that something happens without even the intention of it happening. The case was proved by the numerous times Amy hadn't told him about her plans, which in turn made him prepare for the worst.

"I bought a box of condoms and lubricant," he blurted out. Like this incident, he prepared for the worst—or better yet, he prepared for whatever captivating act was about to befall.

"Really? Where did you get it?"

"When we were having breakfast in Concord. I used an excuse so that I could buy it at the pharmacy across the street," his voice was riddled with slight embarrassment.

Without even waiting for Amy to respond, he slowly slipped her off his body. Amy didn't need to be ordered twice. She knew what this was; it was too soon. However the duration of their friendship was and how it took 4 months after their marriage before they became this intimate, some things just need time before they happen.

Sheldon stood up and opened the closet to retrieve something. Maybe he wanted to sleep in the living room and decided to get his change of clothes for the morning. Maybe this was his way to conveniently tell her that she should go out now and return to her room. She pushed the covers in disappointment, her pure intention was to get out there before everything goes downhill.

But Sheldon returned as soon as she was about to wear her slippers.

"Stay," he announced, returning back to the bed as he gently put something on the nightstand.

"Amy, I'm scared to death." Sheldon leaned his head on the headboard, a look of fright in his eyes. "What if my performance is subpar? What if it's not enough? What if it's too much? What if I hurt you?"

"I am afraid, too," Amy revealed as she switched on the nightlight on her side. "But everything is better with you, Sheldon." A nervous chuckle came out of her mouth as she faced him.

Sheldon shuffled in his seat and gazed at her. "Are you sure?"

"I'll answer that with a confession," she said with a hint of slyness. She sat innocently on his lap again, searching for his eyes. Amy wanted Sheldon to listen to what she's about to say. "Remember that night when you got angry with me after overhearing me say I love you to my brother?"

He sighed in defeat. "However humiliating it was, I do remember my rash accusations. It was brutal, Amy."

"Well, I left to meet with Frank and Sunny and we talked about that incident." She put her hands on his shoulders. "I went home and that thing happened . . ." The warm light casting a shadow on the right side of her face, enabling Sheldon to witness her cheeks blush. "After much time wiping you off, I didn't know at that time if you heard me or knew what happened next, but I leaned near your ear—" Amy's leaned her body onto his, drawing her mouth to his ear, "—and said, ' _I love you, Sheldon_.'"

A dull thud rang through the room. Sheldon groaned and rubbed his head gently as he accidentally hit the wooden headboard. Alarmed, Amy let out a gasp, clapped her palm on her mouth, before quickly rubbing his head. "Are you okay?" she asked in pure fright.

Instead of answering Amy's worries, only one thing stuck to his memory. "You did?" he sought in his innocent voice. _Amy said it. She said it. And she was the first one._ If he could curse at the ringing in his ears and the rush of oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, and eventually, and serotonin, which probably was the main culprit for his inhibitions lessening, hindering him from hearing those sweet words.

Relieved, Amy let out a sigh. "Yes, I said it. The morning after that, you said it back to me. But every time you would say it again, it seemed like you never knew that I said it first," she revealed. "In all honesty, I also didn't know if I meant that Sheldon. I was also high from your pleasure, you know." Remorse was in her voice. It was her way of apologizing about the uncertainty of her admission of affection to Sheldon. She was not herself, too, deeming that statement less genuine.

Sheldon stared at a distance, lightly caressing the cloth covering Amy's waist, his lower lip protruding ever so slightly as he was in his deep thoughts. Nodding his head resolutely, he declared. "I'll take it."

She blinked her eyes in shock. "What?"

"I said, I'll take it. That counts."

"No, it doesn't," Amy said as she furrowed her eyebrows and hunched her back, her hands sliding from his shoulders to his chest.

"Yes, it does!" Sheldon syllabicated as he waved his finger like a conductor. Without forethought, he poked a finger on Amy's side, garnering a jerk and another gasp.

"Sheldon!" Amy chided, slapping his chest a bit harshly and pushing away his strong hands. "Sheldon, stop it!" A burst of laughter echoed through the room as Sheldon continued tickling and poking her waist. "Sheldon!" Wide-eyed, Amy tried to get away from him, but Sheldon splayed his legs so it was hard for her to stand up without getting tickled more.

"Sheldoooon!"

"Shh, be quiet! You'll disturb people," he said, laughing as his tickling made Amy contort as he'd never seen before.

Deciding to stop, Sheldon neared his mouth on her neck and feigned a bite. Instead, he kept his lips in and gnawed on her neck without teeth. Amy giggled again, this time, calming down as her neck wasn't as ticklish as her waist.

Sheldon held her arms as he continued nibbling on her neck. The tempo had changed now. Instead of faked bites, nibbles and kisses assaulted her neck. Instead of giggles, moans and groans started filling out the room.

From her neck, Sheldon traveled up to her lips, exchanging a heated kiss. He let his body fall down onto the mattress, their lips still locked together.

Amy started feeling that hard organ prodding against her bottom. With her arms held together on her body, all she could do was run her palms against the cotton of Sheldon's pajama top. She started sluggishly moving her hips forward and back, his manhood chafing against her panties.

Cradling her neck and lower back, Sheldon switched their positions. He towered over her, leering at his ravishing wife. Amy's palm on his cheek returned him back to his reality, finally flashing another coy smile that made her heart swell.

Amy began undressing him. Unbuttoning his pajama tops, she ran her finger underneath all the layers. Scouring through her memories, she had never seen Sheldon naked. Well, that one time, he was naked on the waist down, sweaty and out of breath. But she'd never seen him buck-naked, all in his glory. In fact, she had never once gloated upon his deceivingly sinewy torso.

"When did you get this ripped?" she said in shock, running both her hands across his collarbones, down to his chest, and smoothening his stomach.

Sheldon was taken aback by the unusual statement. "I exercised," he said haughtily, even furrowing his forehead.

She sniggered. "No, you didn't."

_What?! Is she laughing at me?_ "Yes, I did. I went on a walking spree in Pasadena every day. You should've touched my calves; they're more ripped!"

Once Sheldon's bare torso exhibited before her, his fingers deftly unbuttoned her nightgown. This time, she blindly reached for her shorter yet modest nightgown from her luggage, making Sheldon's life easier now.

Her hold on him never wavered. As Sheldon occupied her neck and her chest, her hands slid further and further to his waistband, loosening the string. She pushed her hand inside his pajama pants, hearing Sheldon groan deeply as she rubbed him through his briefs.

Sheldon couldn't take it once Amy slipped the last barrier and started pumping him slowly. He kisses descended to the opening made by his persistent unbuttoning. He sucked her breast rabidly, rendering Amy's hold on his manhood loose.

Internally, he giggled at how that simple movement could throw her off track. She seemed very persistent on pleasuring him, but Sheldon's more persistent.

He grabbed the hem of her short nightgown, pulling up and off of her. Like last night's tryst, her hands were positioned at the top of her head, not putting it down immediately. He smiled when Amy smiled. Having a better source of light, it accentuated all the features he could all but touch and have a glimpse of last night. Now that he can see her clearly, he didn't think of going back.

Sheldon stooped down, blowing warm air on Amy's flesh, garnering a low moan. He might have taken so long on pleasing Amy's breasts that she started pushing his head down.

"Foreplay makes everything better," he whispered as he looked at her from above. The knowledge of that came to him instinctively, and of course, he'd heard enough from the guys that encouraged him to research this matter further.

Amy held his cheeks, muttering in agony, "Please." She did so as she pressed her breast on his skin.

He grinned thoughtfully. "Not yet. You need to orgasm first. Men finish faster than women, and I don't want to leave you hanging."

Sheldon slowly pulled open her legs. It was like opening a gift but the gift is not for him, it's for Amy. He bent down and kissed Amy's thighs, sucking on them. He can hear Amy's shallow breaths and low grumble. He kissed her over her panties, her wetness created a dark patch on its center. He pulled it down slowly as he stared at her over her abdomen, Amy's eyes closed and mouth ajar.

He would trade everything just to witness this moment. Amy had been an integral part of his somewhat chaotic life, a catalyst in Sheldon Cooper studies. What he would do just to be with this woman.

Amy held onto his hair. She couldn't help but look at Sheldon but he was occupied with his fingers. Amy couldn't help but get worried about her appearance. Sheldon had been fond of superheroes and with that, comic book heroines have hourglass-shaped bodies, flat stomach, large breasts, flawlessly skin. She only had one of those, sure her cup size might be up for the running but she couldn't match that with Wonder Woman!

Suddenly, she felt a jolt in her organ. She arched her back before looking down, Sheldon on his stomach as he kissed her womanhood. _Oh God,_ she hasn't had a proper wax since early November, and who knows what Sheldon would interpret out of the thin hair on her apex.

The act was abrupt as Sheldon sat on his thighs and gently rubbed his fingers on her clit, drawing circles, flicking lightly, making her scream.

Like yesterday, her orgasm seemed to favor Sheldon, as though his touch automatically triggered something in her.

Amy cried in pleasure as her grip on the sheets was jarring. Unlike last night, the absence of Sheldon's warm body against her as she released deemed somewhat disappointing. She liked it when Sheldon pressed his body on her every chance they could get. The detachment quickly dissipated as he hugged her tightly as she finished, making it all better.

The warmth disappeared as she followed the blurry silhouette of the man she promised her life with. Sheldon left the room. Leaving the door open, Amy became conscious enough about her bare body out in the world when she felt a thin sheet covering her all.

_Sheldon must have covered me with the blanket._ She caressed her abdomen on top of the blanket, filling in the hole Sheldon has left.

He came back in his plaid robe. The sound of the door closing, the latch locking, followed a soft thud.

Amy couldn't see clearly without her glasses, but the light from the lamp revealed Sheldon's flesh, plain raw and unobscured. He climbed into the bed, pulling down her covers and planking on top of her, supported by his forearms.

He was nervous from the very beginning, but that quickly dissipated when Amy beamed at him. He pushed his cheek on her palms, wishing they could be in this situation for hours and hours.

Amy's leered at him for a long time. "I need you, Sheldon." As she ran her hand on his abdomen, a certain feeling caught her attention. Something elastic wrapped around his member. She pumped him once, eliciting a soft moan.

He flashed a nervous smile, sighing softly. "Amy, are you certain?" She nodded in resolute, still keeping her unfaltering gaze.

Sheldon pushed up on his knees and grabbed a bottle from the nightstand. _Now that's what he was fussing about,_ Amy soon realized when she turned her head and saw a box of condoms on the nightstand, and in his hands a nondescript white bottle with a transparent sky blue cap. Indeed, Sheldon was a man of his words.

She kept her eyes shut on the remainder of the minute. She couldn't tell why. Maybe from the nerves, maybe from embarrassment, maybe she's just sleepy. She felt something cold teasing her opening, followed by Sheldon's warmth. His stare was piercing her soul, filled with passion and love, but uncertain was present.

"I love you, Amy," he declared overhead. Amy opened her eyes and held his cheek. She pulled him closer and her tongue invaded his mouth, muffled groans being produced.

They've come a long way. From acquaintances to friends back to acquaintances back to being friends. The sudden jump from friendship to engagement was astonishing, even more so when less than a month of engagement turned into marriage. The idea of being with someone intimately was a terrifying act for Sheldon. But Amy seemed to be an exception to that.

This was never her wish from the very beginning. Amy had shunned every thought of being with a man. Her defense was always: Science is more important than a boyfriend or a husband. It turned out, a lot of things can be as important as her passion for science. First, once she'd matured enough, her family was important, especially her brother. Other family members came in and they were important, too. The advent of Sheldon seemed untimely, but he proved to be a significant person in her life, worth to be treated like one of her worthwhile and meaningful experiments.

Sheldon retreated from the kiss, only to nestle his head on her neck. "I love you, Amy," he whispered. Goosebumps started forming on her neck and arms when Sheldon whispered.

Slowly and slowly, the tip of his manhood penetrated her opening. Sheldon pulled his head away from her neck to see her face. _Oh, Amy_ , he thought as he witnessed her with her eyes tightly shut. He ran a hand on her cheek, his soft lips reassuring her.

Sheldon slid in slowly, thankful for the mixture of lubricant and Amy's juices, only halfway in. He halted as he felt Amy's hands pushing lightly against his abdomen, indicating him to rest for a while.

He admired Amy's face. No wincing, which was a relief. Although, her breathing was heavy and her hold on his shoulders could cut into his skin. Sheldon matched her with his shallow breath, trying his best to support his body and not succumb to the pleasure of being halfway inside of Amy.

"Amy?" he breathed, even saying her name was challenging in this situation.

"Hmm…" Amy grumbled as she arched her back.

Sheldon sought her expression, but Amy continued on closing her eyes. "Are you okay? Why aren't you reacting?"

"I'm trying to stay relaxed," she responded, bit by bit attempting to be in the moment and not panic.

Still on thin ice, reluctance embodied itself as he gazed at Amy painfully. "Am I hurting you?"

Finally, Amy flashed her jade-colored eyes, heavily and lazily moving across his face. She cupped his cheeks. "No," she breathed, giving Sheldon a timid yet reassuring smile. "But it feels odd. Slowly, please."

"I will."

It started slow, sluggish thrusting as Amy's deep breaths blew into his neck. Both started to find their rhythm. When to stop, to continue? _How will the other react if I do this?_ crossed their minds as Sheldon settled with the deep but slow drive eliciting a moan from Amy.

With the wave of emotions and pleasure, they fell into profound intoxication, incognizant about the time they spent together. Seconds, minutes, hours later—who knows?—they succumbed to a release they never had in their lives. Sheldon's grunts were matched by Amy's dulcet moans bouncing off the salvaged wood of the cabin walls.

Breathing both erratic, Sheldon almost dropped his spent and sweaty body onto Amy. With his slightly trembling arms and legs, he tried to keep his body steady, Amy's caresses brought him back his strength to carry on. He couldn't think of anything but how majestic and beautiful Amy was as they molded together.

_Shoot,_ he cursed himself at his ignorance. _Did Amy finish?_

Alarmed as Sheldon suddenly cursed, Amy cupped his cheeks and brought it to face her. "Why? What's the matter?" she asked as she stared beneath, trying to look him in the eye.

"Nothing . . ." he answered in a hitched breath, his inhalations more erratic. He couldn't hide the panic in his eyes as different emotions hit him in different angles

"No, it's not nothing," Amy insinuated. Suddenly, another incident happened. An incident she's well aware of. Those quiet sniffles, doubling by the second. Droplets on her flesh, dripping at an alarming rate. She knew what was happening. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not . . ." Sheldon defended. He quickly composed himself, halting his sobs once he got a hold of himself. Keeping his position inside and on top of Amy turned difficult as the seconds went by.

"I've seen you cried more than the times we had sex, Sheldon," she said softly in an innocent and unselfish tone.

"We've only made love this once!" he wailed. Sheldon almost burst into tears again but held it back as he soon realized that there's no point in defending himself. Every time he did, his emotions just surge and he's on the brink of distress again.

"And you've cried four times now." Scouring her memory for those moments, Amy recalled, "Right now, that Monday morning in Hanover, this morning by the creek, and that time you and Frank talked."

Finally, Sheldon let her shift his head so he's looking at her. What he saw was something remarkable, something he didn't assume to happen. Amy's eyes were bloodshot, red-rimmed on the edges. Her nose a tinge of carmine, too. His heart melted when he saw her tear-stained face, shooting a bullet of guilt into his chest. "You're crying, too?" Sheldon said in a bit of a panic, his previous muscle ache dissipating. Motioning to remove himself from Amy and maybe get her a glass of water and run her a hot bath, she locked him in with her legs, drawing his face to hers and landed a soft, meaningful kiss.

"I did," she whispered, sniffing the remnants of her tears and continued, "and I'm so grateful to be with you Sheldon."

* * *

**Last 2 chapters!**


	26. Matrimony in the Making

"What's this?" Sheldon scrutinized the flattened brown bag, folded and stapled once at the very center. It was clear that it got crumpled somewhere, creases on all four corners, but Amy might have straightened it at the last minute.

"Comics," Amy replied as she returned to her side of the bed, leaning on the headboard. She smiled so seamlessly, impressed with how she was doing by buying his beloved superhero art books with little to none dialogue and a whole lot of onomatopoeic jibber-jabber.

Sheldon scoffed, smirking haughtily. "Comic books. Comics refer to those people who make a living out of people's laughs, commonly known as comedians," he began, carefully ripping the staple, "or if you're feeling whimsically archaic, a jester from the Medieval to the Renaissance era." Sheldon raised his eyebrows playfully, garnering a small laugh from Amy.

Amy raised her eyebrows at Sheldon's sassiness, clarifying justly, "Comic books."

"Much like it." Sheldon nodded his head in satisfaction. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

He removed 3 comic books from inside, all unfamiliar to him. He scanned it, turning it around, pleased to see that all of them were from known publishers that he frequents.

"I asked Leonard what you liked. He said there was an ongoing superhero issue that you read every week but I didn't know if we had it here. So I just asked Frank to buy a few recommendations from Leonard that you haven't read yet," she said. "And besides, it's Comic Book Night, Sheldon."

He looked at her incredulously. "Last night was Comic Book Night." He furrowed his head in confusion. "Today is just . . ." He turned on his phone ". . . 5 on a Thursday morning."

"Well, I was going to give it to you last night but you were already asleep," Amy admitted.

Exasperated, Sheldon dropped the comic books on his lap, reasoning to Amy, "But we did it anyway," referring to something they did last night. Yes, they did. They were very much engaged in it that Sheldon disregarded his rule of staying up past his 10 p.m. bedtime.

"I was talking about comic books, Sheldon." Slowly, Amy grinned coyly, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side.

"Oh," he gasped, embarrassed about his assumption. "This is awkward. I thought you were talking about that thing." His last syllables came out as a whisper as he tried to stir away the implication of his statement.

"What was it?" she said, innocently. Drawing her face near Sheldon, she asked in a deep, sultry voice, "What _thing_?" Sheldon's blushing made Amy feel for the man. But also his adorable blushing made her want to tease him more. With his disheveled hair, his ear displayed its reddened helix, his left cheek screaming crimson, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he sought to appear unmoved by her tantalizing.

"You're going to make me say it." Sheldon kept his gaze ahead, pretending he was unfazed. "Fine, we made love 5 hours ago," he snapped at her. This time, Amy thought Sheldon would be upset at her pushy stance. But his voice was deep and resounding. " _And I love you for it._ "

His declaration of love caught her off guard. She's usually ready for it but Sheldon was so nonchalant and so innocent that it made her heart flutter. She sighed and smiled at the same time, shoulders drooping slightly. "I know you do, Sheldon."

"You know, Amy, I have an eidetic memory and I know what you said last night," he revealed. The way she whispered 'I love you' into his ear rang like an alarm, notifying him for months of effort. Finally, the words he never expected to hear from her. He couldn't quite tell how many times Amy had said it to him last night, but the most meaningful ones were the first—or rather, the second—time she said it to him as she sat on his lap, revealing to him that she was the first to say those words, and the other one was uttered as she wiped his tear-stained face and he kissed hers.

"I know you do," she thoughtfully replied, another sly grin forming on her lips. "And I think I've decided . . ." She tilted her chin up, rubbing it slowly.

"On what?" Sheldon ducked his head, waiting for her in anticipation.

Amy held her head high and nodded resolutely. "That I'll tell you once a day."

"Once a day?" he bellowed in shock, jaw slacked as he gazed at Amy with his eyes twitching a bit. It's been a while since his face had twitched. It wasn't too long before he closed his mouth and nodded nonchalantly. A mischievous grin plastered on his face, aware of Amy's game. "Lady, you are a teaser, aren't you?"

She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head quickly. "You can call me that."

Their day started once she and Sheldon finished with a fervid make-out session. After taking a bath individually, they went downstairs to the smell of over-easy eggs and the sound of Sunny's lullabies as she cradled Hero in her arms like a baby.

It was their last day in this cabin. They'll ride back to Concord, spend a few hours resting there, and maybe drive back again to Hanover in the afternoon so that she and Sheldon could have some alone time in her apartment.

 _Alone time._ It was a pretty scary notion. What happened last night was glorious, even she could not describe properly. After Sheldon noticed her eyes red, a sign of crying, he couldn't contain his emotions. His cries were short in duration yet its intensity was distinct. Penetrating through her chest, his sobs were painful yet assuring to hear.

They washed up past 12 in the midnight, spent and tired with their exploration. They dressed back to their clothes and changed the sheets in a matter of minutes, before laying down and falling asleep.

Snowfall was heavy last night. Sheldon had to shovel the pathway leading to the car park, while Frank plowed on the way outside of the property using an attachment to the car. Sheldon seemed elated because of the plow looking like a train's cow-catcher.

As they left the driveway, the brick chimney puffing what's left of the morning fire, Amy noticed how Frank drove off to the opposite path, north and away from the state's capital. It was no surprise if her brother will bring them somewhere else; he'd been their tour guide this whole trip, except for that skiing part, she was the mastermind behind that.

So when Frank drifted off, she just shrugged it and continued watching Sheldon as he was deep in his comic book. She knew Sheldon picked the most child-friendly one, scanning all the pages of the 3 comic books, before picking out the DC comic book. His intention was to avoid any mishaps because he knew Sunny might read along with him in the car.

A quick drive and they were in another town, its main street riddled with local shops in Federal architecture buildings. _Littleton_ , it said on one of the welcome signs.

She'd heard that this was one of best towns in New Hampshire, boasting a hub for the arts and business scene. Even 9 in the morning, the streets are bustling with locals and vehicles about to go on their day. It wasn't a long journey into the center when they stopped in front of Neoclassical-style building, prevalent architecture on government buildings.

They parked right in front of it, a designated spot along the street. At the very top of the building carved _UNITED STATES OF AMERICA_ , and separated by 4 ionic columns, just above the doors, written _UNITED STATES POST OFFICE AND COURTHOUSE—LITTLETON, NEW HAMPSHIRE._

"We have a surprise for you," Frank announced as he turned his head around, the excitement was evident in his tone.

"For whom?" Amy cocked her head and asked. It would be weird if he was talking to Sheldon like he would to Sunny.

"Well, for all of you."

Sheldon peeked on her side of the window, squishing his way past Sunny who was equally interested. "Neat! The post office! Are you gonna mail some letters? Or are we getting some packages?" Her husband's enthusiasm was met with giggles. He didn't seem affected by their reaction, he just continued looking outside in awe.

Dee responded as she released her seatbelt. "You'll see."

A sudden feeling jolted her. _A surprise._ Maybe they're getting a birthday gift for her. All her birthdays, she never asks for any gifts from her brother and his family. In fact, when the topic of gift-giving and asking for what she wants turns up, she immediately dismisses her brother and moves on from the topic.

Similarly, she'd stressed it a hundred of times that month that she doesn't want a lavish gift from Frank and Dee, spending time with all of them was enough, and now that Sunny's getting better at writing, she relies on whatever birthday card her niece writes.

But it doesn't seem like a birthday gift.

She'd heard a few times in the past 4 months that Frank and Dee were planning to get their marriage license. The couple had been engaged since she could remember. She was still at Harvard for her postdoc when Frank popped the question. And since then, no marriage took place in the 10 years the couple had been together. With now Frank holding a manila envelope, wedding bells could be happening within 90 days or less.

But every step that they take inside the building, her instincts tell her something's about to happen. Sheldon still couldn't take away his attention from the post office, admiring the short queue at the counter, relishing the stamps thwacking every envelope and the rips of paper running through the shredder.

When the couple ahead of them continued on walking and walking, disregarding the queues and proceeding to the hallway, Amy had a hunch on what was happening. _Marriage license,_ she thought, _Maybe they'll get it from someone they already knew, Frank always has connections here in New Hampshire._

Amy saw door after door of offices, followed by courtrooms numbered as they moved forward. _Courtrooms . . . courtrooms._

A sudden realization hit her. "Oh my God!" whispered Amy to Sheldon. She tugged his hand, trying to catch his attention.

"Huh? Why? What happened?" he said, rattled, stopping and looking around for any signs of threat; there's none, only a few employees loitering around the hallway. Did she suddenly develop a fear of people? Very unusual behavior for Amy?

When Frank and Dee stopped at one of the double doors, she couldn't contain her excitement, she danced on her feet, still clutching and tugging Sheldon's hands. She doesn't care if she attracts attention or if she looks silly, all she wanted was to express herself.

"Amy, you're gonna have to talk to me. What is happening?" He stopped her, holding her hands to stop her from fidgeting.

"THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED!" Amy shrieked, tugging his hand. If it weren't for his gloves, his hand would surely chafe.

"Who's getting married?"

"Them!" Amy pointed at Dee and Frank entering the door. They both turned to them and flashed a cheeky smile. Dragging Sheldon, Amy pushed the door and followed them inside.

"Really?" he asked, amazed and elated. "Did they tell you?"

"No, but Frank's been telling me that they're getting married soon," Amy responded quickly, seeking the eyes of her family asking for confirmation. Even Sunny's unaware of what's happening, still holding onto Hero's leash who happened to be allowed in the building. "This is it!" she whispered giddily.

Sheldon leaned it as they sat at the very end of the minute courtroom. "Ask them."

They didn't need to ask. As Frank and Dee sat in the front row of chairs, waiting for someone, Frank turned around, opened the envelope, and pulled out half of the document to show it to them. She couldn't see it clearly but it sure does look like a marriage license she and Sheldon had to acquire when they were in Pasadena.

Amy jumped to her feet, congratulating them briefly before a woman emerged from the side door, beaming and greeting the couple. The ceremony started as soon as niceties were cleared. Amy couldn't contain her emotions. She must have cried more than she had when she and Sheldon got married.

Sheldon noticed the tears being wiped off incessantly. "Why are you crying?"

"Because they're getting married," she sobbed, wiping her face completely. She couldn't appear this emotional in their photos; her disheveled image would be ingrained in every single person who sees them.

Sheldon tilted his head and furrowed his forehead. "Do you not want your brother to get married? Because we can always object to it." There's a solution to everything, and if the wedding is making Amy miserable, he would no doubt voice his argument.

"No, of course not! I want them to get married," she wailed, listening as the officiant read from her notebook.

"Oh . . ." he jolted, "I thought these were sad tears."

As the ceremony carried through, all Sheldon could hear was Amy's quiet sobs and Frank and Dee's voice, exchanging words of affection and devotion. _So this is what 10 years of companionship looks like,_ he contemplated. Would that be him and Amy in 10 years, with a child, a cat, and vows between them? A cat would be tolerable; he acquired a few as soon as Amy left for the east coast. He wouldn't be opposed to renewing vows, either; that's pretty standard for married couples, right?. Although a child would be hard to believe, it would take years before he would come to a conclusion of searing one.

All of a sudden the officiant announced both as husband and wife, sealing it with a kiss, before looking at him and Amy in full enthusiasm.

After snapping a hundred photos of the newlyweds, amidst her full-on emotional distress, Amy jumped to her feet, ready to tell her brother and sister-in-law how happy she was.

"Oh, Frankie, Dee, I love you both!" wailed Amy hugging them simultaneously, disregarding the amused look of the officiant and Sunny's high-pitched giggles.

Sheldon pulled out his phone, knowing that his wife would like to see this very moment and put it to memory. Photos were taken, Sheldon amazed that Frank insisted that he be part of it and not just behind the camera.

Sheldon felt Amy's undeniable feelings, opposite to Frank and Dee who seemed very nonchalant about their relationship's milestone. She'd flourished with these people. From graduate school to full-time researcher. From being single to getting married. They'd got to see Amy achieve these accomplishments. Sheldon realized Amy deserved to see this moment as they enter a new chapter in their lives.

But the most amusing thing that happened in that building was when he heard Amy whisper to him, _"_ _I love you, Sheldon,_ " as she wrapped her arm on his back and drew him near her, dropping a kiss on his shoulders.

They drove for only a minute, proceeding to a road dipping to a river's bank, before putting the car into park once again.

A covered bridge was in the distance. Amy enthusiastically dragged the newlyweds and devised a make-shift wedding photoshoot. A very unusual one since Dee and Frank were clad in winter clothes, not an ounce of fabric that would imply that they got married a little over 5 minutes before.

With the comfortable love between the 2 of them, the first photo they instinctively took was their photo with Sunny clinging to her father and a vest-clad Hero cradled like a baby by Dee. Soon enough, the couple posed for wacky shots—throwing snow at each other, Dee piggyback-riding on Frank, Dee attempting to do the same but soon realized that she was pregnant and one wrong move could injure her, both of them laying on the snow and posed, giggling like children.

"Kiss," Amy behind her phone, sensing Sheldon observing from behind.

Frank and Dee quickly exchanged a laugh and positioned themselves at the very end of the bridge, highlighting the red timber of the bridge, its roof sheathed with a blanket of snow. They shared a passionate kiss amidst the light snowfall, Amy clicking rapidly; she'd have to pick the best photo later on. Frank dipped Dee slightly as he was still kissing her. Everyone realized that was the best shot.

"Give me your phone!" Dee bellowed, reaching in. She handed it, expecting that Dee would just like to look at the photos, but she stood in her position and pointed to where they came from.

"Stand there—the two of you!" She relentlessly pointed her finger, garnering weird looks from both Amy and Sheldon. Dee widening her eyes jolted them.

"Why—" Amy protested, dragging her feet on the snow.

"No buts! Go on, Sheldon, right beside Amy."

Amy waited for Sheldon to take his position right at the entrance of the bridge. She stood there waiting while her sister-in-law behind her phone.

"What?!" she shouted, feeling Sheldon's warmth right beside her.

Dee gave them knowing looks, jaw-dropping at their incredulity. "Smile!" she ordered.

She glanced at Sheldon first who seemed very participative. He smiled so timidly, keeping his gaze at the camera. Defeated, Amy looked at the camera and smiled her heart out. It took a couple of clicks before she felt Sheldon's right hand making its way on her waist, wrapping his arm around her back.

Frank seemed to notice it and started bouncing behind Dee, even urging Sunny to do the same. Their actions made her chuckle and when she looked at Sheldon, a grin of delight was on his face. She started to redden when his brother brought up his arms and, with his bare hands, started doing a kissing gesture, bumping his puckered fingertips together. Dee noticed the change in the couple's expressions and looked behind to see what her husband was doing.

"Kiss!" she shouted, a smile on her face as she rode along with her husband's childish actions.

Amy started to panic. Sheldon doesn't want that. He hated the mere fact of someone witnessing their intimacy, even though their kiss at that viewing deck caught the attention of everybody. Her mind started filling with rants coming from Sheldon. Not long before her notions started to turn sour, she felt a soft touch on her left cheek.

Sheldon stooped down and puckered his lips on Amy's cheek. He waited there for a few seconds while Dee captured the moment. Frank started chanting, as well as Sunny. He pulled away with a smile on his face, glancing at Amy's family with pride, while she stood flustered at her feet.

But it doesn't seem enough for the older Fowler. "What kind of kiss was that?! On the lips!" he cheered, gesturing his puckered hands again to signify that a kiss on the cheek was not enough. He sighed in defeat and gawked at her brother. Her eyes were widening in alarm as a puff of smoke came out of her mouth.

Sheldon sensed the tension coming from Amy but he won't let ruin whatever fun they were having.

"They won't shut up, Amy," he muttered, holding onto her shoulders and facing her to him.

"But—"

Sheldon gave them what they wanted. He gave Amy a chaste kiss on the lips, not initiating a move nor deepening it. A kiss that would suffice two photos or so. But Amy seemed to like the hollering that she cupped Sheldon's cheeks and moved her head to deepen it.

It took him off guard but he was quick to respond. He pivoted his head so that they wouldn't be able to see the kiss. All the photos onward will just be the back of his head and Amy's body. He thought it would be an ingenious idea, but it stirred something within Amy.

She started nibbling his lower lip, prompting his jaw to loosen. Amy found another way to intensify the kiss that they only did during their affair last night and after giving those comic books that sure fired up Sheldon's cravings.

"Hey!" They heard a faint shout from afar.

Amy quickly pulled away from their kiss. Winter was really not on their side as their heavy breathing was humiliatingly obvious at every gust of smoke coming out from their swollen lips. Plain as day, her family could see how much they were enjoying the kiss on the covered bridge. Even people from afar must have known what was happening.

"Photoshoot's done, lovebirds!"

* * *

"How many days do we have?" Sheldon blurted out of the blue, still gazing down to his iPad, as the door opened

After a menacing photoshoot that turned out to be too much for the public's eye, they gathered around a close-by cafe to celebrate the recent nuptials. A makeshift alfresco reception with hot cinnamon drinks and sandwiches, overlooking the all but frozen river, rushing on a winter's day. The patio gave a beautiful glimpse of the covered bridge, its length extending to the other side of the town as silhouettes of people peeked from the crisscrossed wooden beams of the bridge.

They went back to Concord and stayed in the Fowler residence up until 2 in the afternoon, doing some snow chores after 3 days of winter repose. Arriving back to Hanover, they bought dinner and provisions for the ensuing days.

"What do you mean?" Amy asked as she closed the bedroom door. _What kind of days,_ she thought, questioning if Sheldon was talking about his flight back to California. He hadn't said anything about it yet, but chances are, he'd want to go home as soon as possible.

"I'm aware that you'd want to spend the holidays with your family, when are we going back to Concord?"

"Dee's working a 13-hour morning shift on the 23rd to 26th. We'd have to be there on the 23rd for last-minute Christmas shopping and groceries—if there's any—and for Christmas Eve dinner." Amy pulled down the comforter on her side, sitting down on the mattress.

Sheldon did the quick calculation. "So that leaves us 5 days all by ourselves . . ." he said, closing the magnetic flap of his iPad.

"Exactly," she answered in her deep voice, facing Sheldon. In his genius, he'd have to get the suggestive voice.

"I'd have 5 days to order gifts for all of you. It'd be very ungrateful to arrive empty-handed."

Amy's facial expression quickly turned the other way around. "Scouring gifts for 5 days? That seems very bland," she insinuated.

"Of course, we can always do other things," Sheldon suggested innocently, still oblivious.

A coy grin formed on her lips. _Of course, we can._ "Like what?"

"Explore other parts of Hanover, maybe neighboring towns," he listed.

"What else?"

"I still have to submit the final grades for my 30 graduate students." He puckered his lips and grimaced. "I might need to borrow your laptop."

"That's fine." Amy shrugged. "What else do you have in mind?"

Deep in thought, Sheldon tilted his head and put a finger upon his chin. "Ooh, ooh! I've always wanted to do some snow experiments! We could have done it at the Arctic but the conditions were too harsh to just spend a few hours outside of our living quarters. Now that this place will be a winter wonderland for a few months, it's only logical to do it here."

"That's nice . . . and a bit of fun." Amy cocked her head and put her hand on her waist. "But there could be other things we could do."

"I think that would be enough for 5 days, you reckon?" Sheldon flashed a genuine smile. A hunch is what he would call Amy's thinly-veiled advances. _She wants something,_ he thought gazing at her cheeky grin and down to her waist where her finger sluggishly tapped her nightgown.

"Let's have some fun," she whispered, nearing him as the sheets rustled beneath.

"Right now?" Sheldon gulped, feeling Amy's warm body pressing on his left arm.

Amy nodded her head in acknowledgment. "Up until dawn . . ."


	27. Epilogue

Three months he waited. It was near the end of March, and staying in the arrival area appeared very foreign to him. There were no celebrations to be celebrated in March. There was no current news with which air travel was necessary. His mother wouldn't visit him just because. Neither does his family. They're all preoccupied with their lives now that visiting a beloved family member 1500 miles away is a chore rather than a necessity. He felt the same, so holding a grudge seemed futile.

But there's also one person that he would wait upon, dreading to escape this crowd of airport watchers.

Amy's contract with Dartmouth extended until the winter term, which meant his travel back to Pasadena was without the only person he was expecting to go home with. It took a lot of convincing, especially within the minutes or hours after sex, that Amy would be extending until the snow melts. Based on his queries both on Amy and Frank, with a minute of Sunny's interruption, winter had been persistent by the end of March. Snowfall still dominated rain, which meant that he won because Amy will be going home to him as Sunny's effectively making snow angels and snowmen on their front yard.

Whisking his head around, still, there was no recent arrival. The last one was a flight from Atlanta, and he knew Amy wouldn't be on that flight.

When he went home in early January, they had spent almost every day seeing what was there to see in New Hampshire. Christmas came and he and Amy drove down to Concord and celebrated with them up until New Year's. On the 30th, Frank brought them to Portsmouth to celebrate New Year's Eve. On the entirety of his trip, he never expected to visit Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine—the states he thought he would not visit in his lifetime—and see snow-capped mountains while standing on an icy beach.

"Let's go to Maine," Amy announced the morning of the 31st. They just crossed the bridge from Portsmouth, had breakfast on the first Maine town from the border, and went back to Portsmouth, through another bridge.

"Let's go to the beach!" In the afternoon, it was Sunny who suggested it despite the fact it was winter. They drove for 10 minutes and they're on the coast, facing the Atlantic, as chilly winds blew from the East. in Sunny's defense, she just wanted Uncle Sheldon to see where they spent the summer before.

A tune played in the speaker, announcing another arrival: _Charlotte_. Still not Amy. She texted a few hours ago that her flight was delayed, and he should not panic. The last time he went back to California, he almost lost his mind upon knowing his flight was delayed for 5 hours due to a snowstorm. Fortunately, he got a text before even going to the airport, Frank let out a sigh of relief because he was the designated driver.

Another swarm of passengers arrived, hoping Amy would be among them.

But he knew better. Her flight was from Boston. The neophyte in him never asked Amy the details of her flights when she went away in August; he could have gotten a handy piece of information that would have made his hasty travel to New Hampshire the less time than he did that one December morning.

"Why didn't you say it before, Amy?!" he freaked out on the passenger seat of the car as they were traveling back to Hanover.

"Because you weren't talking to me!" she defended herself, laughing at his scowling face.

Concord was an hour away from Logan Airport. From Los Angeles, Amy took a direct flight to Boston, had her brother and niece pick her up at the airport, and drove back to New Hampshire in a nick of time. Way easier and economical than what he did. Luckily, he was informed in advance of the better way to travel before he stuffed himself back into that cramped Cessna plane and prayed it wouldn't plummet down into a snowy field capable of cloaking a crash.

Another tune flew in the air, and he stared up at the screen. _Boston._ Finally! Although, he never got Amy's flight number as he was playing with Leonard on his Xbox when she called. Still might not be Amy, he thought, watching as another wave of people appeared beyond the glass partition.

During his time in New Hampshire, a lot has changed. He met new people, experienced an authentic winter, and acquainted with new experiences. Other than sex, he explored a new and better way to talk with his wife. Not that condescending shenanigans right before she went away, he knew how to connect with her now. Although his haughty side still got the better of him, he's well acquainted with its controls and when it doesn't seem right for the moment.

He stood up from his seat and darted across the crowd, hoping to get to the front. Sweeping his head from left to right, he waited and waited.

He waited in those 3 months. He'd planned to visit Amy again on his birthday in February but was discouraged by Amy herself, saying that it wasn't very practical in the midst of winter. So the plan didn't push through, leading him to wait again.

But waiting seemed to end as he saw the figure of a woman. A woman, who's hauling a handbag, a laptop backpack, and a canvas bag, weaved through the crowd, unafraid of getting squished. She's still wearing a winter coat, forgetting that California had already shooed the winter season 2 months ago.

Sheldon watched as he saw Amy visibly sweating underneath all those layers. _You should have listened to my advice,_ he thought, _I like it when you wear less_. He matched her, walking towards her direction with a smile on his face.

Sheldon waved his hand above his head, glad that Amy smiled back at him, albeit weak. He ran past people and reached her.

Three months was long. He never thought it would be. When Amy went away, three months went by in a blur; he can't even remember the lectures he did in September and his students' faces when he announced that no physicist in Caltech is better than him. Of course, those were irrelevant memories.

He hugged Amy tight as he made it to her. He felt her arms wrap around him, its warmth that of a New Hampshire summer he's never experienced before—toasty yet bleak. But he was quickly pushed away by Amy. He looked at her in remorse, his eyes squiggling in confusion. _What have I done?_

"It's so hot!" she gasped, passing him her bags as she hastily peeled away 2 layers of coat, also handing him that. When Amy started unbuttoning her plaid button-down shirt, he panicked, almost ready to lunge at Amy and cover her up before anybody else witnessed her naked body.

Fortunately, she was wearing a white camisole underneath that hugged her body quite well. Looking up from her opened shirt, she greeted, "Hi!" beaming in delight to have seen Sheldon.

He dropped her bags in one swoop and snaked his hands on her waist, pressing her deep into his soul. How he'd missed Amy. Her voice. Her face. Her body. Everything about her seemed very surreal, very unexpected.

He pulled away. "Hello. I've missed you, Amy," Sheldon revealed, staring at her in a blank shock-like stare.

"I missed you, too." She patted him in the cheek, "How are you?" Vacillating between his lips or his cheeks, Amy kissed the side of his mouth instead, enough for her lips to brush where his upper and lower lips meet.

Sheldon shook his head, eyeing her from top to bottom. She's wearing tight-fitting pants, the bottoms she wore as winter progressed in New Hampshire. He couldn't agree more; she still looked stunning, skirt or pants, otherwise.

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming!" Amy hollered as the last of guests pile out of their apartment. "I'll see you again tomorrow!"

Her homecoming was unnecessary, but Sheldon thought it would be nice to throw a party once Amy arrived. It was unheard of— _'Sheldon Cooper threw a party'_ —it doesn't make any sense if put in one sentence.

But he did. Not a big one. Just their friends, a buttload of Thai food, and wine and beer enough to quench everybody's thirst. Per usual, as Penny was giving a toast, Sheldon only sipped from his glass, for convention's sake, and ignored it all the way through.

Standing by the sink, his back against her, Amy observed as he carefully worked with drying the glasses, a faint hiss came out from him.

As they arrived from the airport, it appeared to activate something in Sheldon that made him so jittery, so restless. Without an ounce of distress, he hauled her suitcases up to the 4th floor, not resting for once. He scrambled for his keys in his pockets and jostled his way inside.

Like the first time she went to his apartment, that day he insisted on cooking for her, she remembered what happened to him that day. He might have gotten nervous or excited, and as he walked the living room to open the door for her, he injured himself, straining an ankle, hurting his knees, and bruising his forearms.

It was similar to what occurred as they arrived, he got so excited—with most of the bags and everything—he lost his footing and toppled over one of the suitcases. He landed on his wrists again and, with all the jackets draped over his left forearm, one of her jackets' metal zipper cut through the base of his left thumb, lacerating beyond the skin. He even bumped his chin on the ground, causing his teeth to grind and his chin to bruise.

Erring on the side of caution, despite her lethargic state, Amy drove Sheldon to the nearest emergency room, afraid his hand might need some stitches. By the time they arrived back at their apartment, she was knocked out on Sheldon's bed, only catching a half-hour of sleep before she's awakened by Sheldon prodding her shoulder lightly.

"Are you okay now?" She held his shoulder and ran her palm along his spine, smoothing his shirt.

Sheldon pivoted on his feet. "It is twitching a little bit." He held out his left hand and showed his bandaged palm. Where he landed, the muscle underneath his thumb, almost near the wrist, got pressed upon the metal zipper on Amy's jacket and tugged against his skin. It made a jagged cut that even Amy couldn't tell if it was deep enough to be stitched. After minutes of applying pressure on the wound, she gently washed it under running water, her eyes catching a portion of the wound deep that it started bleeding again

"Well, that's to be expected," she said, holding onto his hand and examining it.

Exhausted, Sheldon sighed and held his head down. "I apologize if I made this day miserable for you. I know how much you wanted to rest but here I am, in dire need of assistance."

"I wouldn't say dire, but sure." Amy shrugged, smiling at him. "And that's not a big deal, it's just lacerated and stitched. Sheldon Cooper is bigger than a cut, right?"

"I know, but Leonard had the same cut years ago. Her then-girlfriend stitched him up, and he was basically a vegetable for days."

Amy jerked her head and furrowed her eyebrows. "That seems like an overreaction."

"It was! And her girlfriend condoned his hissy fits! I had to stomach their cloying interactions; it was too much, Amy," he sighed and shook his head in annoyance.

Amy tilted her head, cooing as she snaked her hands on his neck. "Do you want me to treat you like that, _Honey_?"

He scoffed, "Pfft. No!"

"No?"

The disappointment in Amy's voice was deceiving. _Was she really upset that I didn't say yes? Or maybe she's playing mind tricks with me?_ "I—umm—it wouldn't hurt, I guess?" His head shuddered slowly, witnessing Amy's fatigue, from a very hectic, jetlagged day, wiped away with his simple gesture of adorable acquiescence.

"Alright," she agreed, grinning. "I'll just clean up the dishes."

He quickly stopped her. "No, I already did that. It's fine," he said, pointing at the glasses and a few saucers drying on the stainless steel dish rack. Amy turned to him, anticipating something to be said. Sheldon caught his breath from Amy's deep stare and blurted out, "Howaboutweretireforthenight?"

* * *

"That was . . ." Sheldon heaved, wiping his forehead with his good hand.

"Wild," Amy breathed out. "I know." She patted Sheldon's chest, listening to the erratic thump inside his chest.

"Should we be doing that with my hand in this situation?"

It had been 2 days since Sheldon's zipper mishap and he had been airing out his stitches for it to heal without any bandages. Since then, he had forgone going to work—reasoning that his hand would render him unable to be productive, but in reality, he just wanted to spend the remaining days of the week with Amy—and any other strenuous activities that would bring more harm to him.

"Make love?" She lifted her head and gazed at him, before laying on his chest again. "Sure it's fine. As long as you didn't put any pressure on your wound."

"I didn't." He held his hand up and was about to caress Amy's hair, only to realize that he was using his left hand. He put it down and used his right hand instead.

"Well, that's reassuring."

Amy stood up from her position. Sheldon wouldn't be able to breathe if she continued laying her body onto his. She wore the bathrobe hanging by his door and relieved herself in the bathroom. Unlocking the door after peeing, she approached the sink and carefully washed her face, sensing his body behind hers. She raised her head, water trickling to her chin, and observed Sheldon from the mirror. His stare was deep, enough to send jolts throughout her body. But all his seriousness faded, he smiled, the kind where his lips curve slightly and his eyes twinkle as light hits it.

The aura changed, and all of a sudden, the sexual tension dissipated. She turned to him and pressed her back against the counter. "What are you smiling for?"

Sheldon shrugged. "Nothing." Amy looked at him beneath her eyelashes and frowned. "I'm glad that you're here."

"I feel the same," she replied softly, "Although, I already miss Frank and Dee and Sunny."

Sheldon looked out the distance. "I miss them, too. And Hero, of course. That cat embedded himself onto me as we were about to open Christmas gifts. All of you were still either in bed or preparing something in the kitchen, and there I was, trapped by an aging yet surprisingly loving feline."

Amy snickered, reminiscing that morning. Everybody woke up and gathered around the Christmas tree. In Sheldon's drowsy state, he was the first to plop down on the floor and waited for everybody to start the tradition. That's when he was held captive by Hero, and his conscience couldn't bother to nudge the cat, so he waited for someone to walk inside the living room and free him from his servitude. "Don't you like that. A cat chose you! It took me a while before I could even approach Hero. Every time he sees me coming, he darts away and hides under the couch."

"Did you tell Sunny how grateful I was for the gift?"

"Why don't you tell Sunny herself, I'm calling them tomorrow."

Sheldon's face lit up. The gift was a customized picture frame made with colorful popsicle sticks and embellished with squiggles and beads, complete with a handwritten letter from the whole family. The photo was the one Dee took that morning they got married. With the red covered bridge as their background, they printed the one where Sheldon was kissing Amy on the cheek. Her hand cupping his jaw as she beamed with her eyes closed and shoulders up. It appeared like they were teenagers in the infancy of their relationship.

"How about we call them now?" Sheldon sought, clasping her hands together and waited for her answer.

"Sheldon, it's 11 p.m. on the east coast, we'll wake up early tomorrow, okay?"

He sighed in disappointment. "Okay."

In a blink of an eye, Amy smiled slyly, running her palms against the warmth of his chest, ultimately settling on his shoulders.

"Let's take a shower," she murmured, grinning.

Sheldon jerked his head. "Just a shower, okay? No naughty business. My adhesive ducks are in need of replacement and I haven't had the time to replace them."

Amy tilted her head. "Alright."

"And let's not wet our hair. Not me at least, do whatever you want."

Sheldon pushed down his pajama pants, letting it fall down to his ankles and climbed first on the tub. Amy followed as she let her robe fall off, exhibiting herself in front of her husband. After all the time they'd spent together in New Hampshire, and after what happened minutes ago, it's safe to assume that Amy had accustomed herself to seeing Sheldon naked and as well him seeing her naked.

Amy tinkered with the knob, quivering as the cold water hit her stomach, letting out a chuckle as she peeked at Sheldon who's equally elated. She reached for her body wash, foaming it in her hands and lathering on her skin.

"Amy, I've been meaning to tell you." He switched their position, her back now against the warm gush of the shower, letting Amy rinse off the soap. "When are you free?" He reached for his own body wash and glazed it over his body.

"Well, I'll be back at UCLA on Monday. You know, just to catch up with a few meetings, consultations," she explained, allowing the warm water to cascade down her spine.

"How about Caltech?" he asked, worried. Amy had never told him that she was completely done with Caltech. All he knew was that the move to Dartmouth was temporary, and she'll be back with him, sharing the massive workspace.

"Sheldon," Amy sighed, "my contract with Caltech ended in August, right? UCLA is still my employer, but if they offered another job for me, I'll consider it."

Sheldon scoffed at his brilliant idea. "I'll talk to Siebert."

"No need. President Siebert and I are closer than you think."

He was taken aback by Amy's revelation, bubbles drifting away as he jerked. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?!" Amy snorted, pinching her nose to stop her from ridiculing Sheldon. "He's like 20 years older than me. And he's married."

A grin lurked on his lips, he shouted, "Bazinga!" pointing his finger at Amy and chortled ticklishly.

Amy gasped at Sheldon's nerve to make her nervous. Playing along, she dropped the impending smile on her face. "And I'm married, Sheldon."

"Married? To whom?" He cooperated, providing ammunition for their banter.

Amy raised her eyebrows suggestively. She raised her arms and wrapped it around his neck. "To a rather exquisite specimen—a tall, good-looking fellow I met in a cafe not far from here."

"Just tall and good-looking?" he asked somberly.

Amy cocked her head and pressed her body against his. "He's a genius, as well. A stunning intellect with everything under his belt."

"Darn, straight, he is." He held his head high, narrowing his eyes at the distance.

Amy was tickled at his vigor. Who would have thought that this was the man she met almost 5 years ago? The insolent, apathetic man whom she married without consideration. He transformed—whether evolution told him to or maybe because he was trying his best for her—into a fine person, vulnerable yet resolute. Sure, he still has a few quirks that couldn't be altered, but the essence of being a human stuck to him. To be grateful and generous. To listen and meditate on what one was saying. To forgive and understand . . .

Her pondering was cut short when Sheldon asked. "So when are you free?"

"What?" She shook her head and gazed up to him. She didn't realize that Sheldon already switched their position; his back was now against the shower.

"Don't you usually have a break in between research fellowships?" he said, rubbing away from suds.

"Yes, I do." Amy nodded her head, languidly.

"Then, when is it?"

"Starting April 1st. I'll have a week off."

"Then it's settled. I'll take that week off and book the flights."

"Are we going back to New Hampshire?" Amy cocked her head in confusion. What's the point of going back to California if Sheldon wanted to visit New Hampshire again? It seemed like a waste of money. "Sheldon, while I enjoy the company in New Hampshire, I can't be in that cold again. Not especially when I've spent 3 sweltering days here in California." She sighed, disappointed that Sheldon didn't tell her before.

"We're not going to New Hampshire," he scoffed derisively, garnering a fierce stare from Amy. Sheldon gulped and smiled sweetly. What he's about to say will either break or make Amy. He murmured, cheeks reddened, "I'm bringing you to see my family in Texas."


	28. Bonus: The Gulf

"Good Lord! I always forget about the Texas heat!" Amy protested weakly as she removed her cardigan. Sweat made a darkened patch on her shirt, as though it was her spine.

"You've spent a lot of time in Texas?!" Sheldon managed to sputter amidst the heat. He couldn't agree more. His recent trip to New Hampshire wiped his memory about Texas' ability to work up a sweat.

"Yes," Amy heaved as she turned on the ignition, Sheldon's surprise went over her head. All she wanted at that time was to turn on the air conditioning.

"Why have I not heard of this before?!" he asked incredulously, almost ignoring to wear the seatbelt.

"Well, remember, Dee's from Texas," she replied. "I've spent many a time in their Texas home when she and Frank were still boyfriend and girlfriend. I sort of became the third wheel in their relationship."

Sheldon's eyes twinkled. "We should visit their home!"

"Oh, I'm not that close with her parents. But I could tell Dee, give her parents a heads up if we decided to drop by their home. However, we won't be staying very long."

"That'll be delightful!" Sheldon shrieked, near the brink of passing out from the heat and excitement. He collected and stilled himself on the passenger seat. "Where else did you go?"

"Mainly in Houston, really. We got a special entrance at the Space Center, tinkered with the computers and equipment used by Dee's mother, and witnessed the cool experiments being spearheaded by Dee's father. We even got to talk to a real-life astronaut."

Sheldon sneered. "Well, Amy, talking to Howard is really not that amusing".

"I'm talking about the Space Shuttle era astronauts, Sheldon. Howard went to space after that."

"Oh, you could have told me."

"Anyway, that's as exciting as it could be. I visited some universities, too. Rice and A&M, to name a few," Amy said nonchalantly.

His ears ran once more, another titillating factoid to share. "Get outta town! I went there!"

Amy glanced at him. "Rice?"

"No, Texas A&M! I was the youngest and most prolific student during my time! Oh, the memories! Nights of devoted reading, hardbound books bigger than my backpack. Prepossessing lectures and seminars that had drawn imbeciles to lend their ear and fall silent."

"I don't think they are silent because it's interesting." Referring to sleeping in classes, Amy had witnessed a lot of it in every class she took.

"Either way, it was invigorating." Sheldon shuddered, looking out the window. "I just hate it that Mom had to coax me into getting my undergraduate here in Texas. I could have gone to Harvard if it weren't for its liberal arts status."

"Oh, Mister, you're messing with the wrong Vardian! Don't you ever say that in Massachusetts!"

"I'm just saying, a lot of universities offered me scholarships but Mom had to pick the suitable one for me since I was 'too young' to decide. Fortunately, she let me be when I had to pick for graduate school." He sighed softly. "Thank whoever it is for California."

Their ride continued on, making their way through the city's noon rush hour. By the time they passed through Houston's city limits, Sheldon took notice of Amy's constant rubbing on the steering wheel, her palms gliding across, and making a soft _swoosh_. He thought for a while about her actions. He's usually acting like that in anticipation. _Is Amy getting nervous_? he asked himself.

Unsure about what to do, the gentleman in him decided to calm whatever's bothering his wife. And in this case, the most probable cause is meeting his family.

"I-I haven't briefed you about my family, Amy," he said cooly, a thinly-veiled shiver in his voice emerged due to the uncertainty. "You've already met my mother, so you know how she is. However, you haven't met the rest, so buckle your seatbelt, Doctor, you're in for a treat."

"As you may recall from my stories, Missy is my twin sister, who is younger by 7 minutes, yet somehow, she is the alpha of the Cooper siblings. Mom told us she gave birth in a Kmart, but who knows, that woman believes in a resurrection boat drifting for 40 days. Jacob is Missy's husband. I don't know how long they were together, but I assure you, he's not the first boy she took home." Sheldon inhaled, satisfied that Amy's worrisome actions had dissipated. "And they have a 15-month old son, Noah, who, for what it's worth, is a charming little boy. I couldn't sell the child enough because he was still 6 months old last I saw him. Who knows what he has become. And, oh, Meemaw's my sweet grandmother who is quite frank and likes her drinks neat."

* * *

Amy squinted at the noon glare. She can hear Sheldon groaning as he hauled 2 suitcases out the trunk. The front door opened and a woman came running out of the house. "Praise the Lord, Amy! I've been dying to see you!" The young woman rejoiced, giving her a hug.

"Praise the Lord? Who are you? Mom?" Sheldon asked through heaving sounds.

"Oh, Shelly! I've missed you, too!" Missy answered, acknowledging her brother but keeping her hold on Amy.

"Hello, Missy," she politely greeted despite her nerves. "I've heard about you a lot."

Missy rolled her eyes in jest, walking alongside Amy. "If they were from my brother, not all of them are true. He's just exaggerating things."

"Well, some of it was from your mother, but anyway, where's Mrs. Cooper?"

Just as soon as she asked, the woman in question emerged from the archway, donning a white, _Cooking for Christ_ apron. "Hello, my dear. Welcome to Texas!" she greeted her with a smile on her face. Mary gave Sheldon a quick hug and kiss before giving her one of her own.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cooper."

Mary held her in arm's length. "How's your first experience here? Did Shelly let you rest on the flight here? You know how he is with all the airplane jitters."

"Mom!"

"Oh, Mrs. Cooper, I've been to Texas numerous times before. My sister-in-law was raised here," Amy politely responded. "And Sheldon was placid as a morning stroll, Mrs. Cooper. The juice really helped him."

"The juice?!"

"Oh, Honey, let's eat lunch. I know y'all hungry."

It would have taken a dozen people to finish Mary's lunch, but the Coopers have always been big eaters. Missy's husband was there, along with her son Noah. For the first time, Amy witnessed a full-on interaction of Sheldon with his family. He transformed into a different person; the twang was activated but still subtle. When Amy thought Sheldon and Penny's relationship was sweet, his interaction with his twin was awkward yet she knew what Sheldon felt toward his sister: pure admiration and respect.

When lunch was finished, everybody started cleaning up. Jacob carried a drowsy Noah in his arms as Sheldon carried the dishes and wiped the table clean. Mary pulled her feet up on their breakfast nook as she chatted with his son. Amy approached Missy who started preparing the plates for the dishwasher.

"Amy, rest! Aren't ya tired of stuck in a tin can with Sheldon for 3 hours?" Missy insinuated,

"I am, but I've downed 2 cups of coffee—one at our apartment and another at Houston airport—and a helping of chocolate donuts as we were waiting for our flight." Amy waited for her sister-in-law to respond. She wanted to help but Missy was determined about the chore. She was about to excuse herself when Missy talked.

"So . . ." she let the words drag. "How're things going?"

"Umm . . . they're going good." Amy drew her fingers at the lines of the tiled counter.

"Only good?" Missy's tone was painted with ribald. "A little birdie told me they were going great." She raised her eyebrows as she eyed Amy, hinting that she knew it too.

"Penny?" Amy asked, chuckling as Missy nodded her head ecstatically. But she played it innocently so as to confuse Missy. "Yeah, well, it's been great. I've finished my research with Dartmouth. UCLA has been backing up my professional endeavors with other universities. They'd given me this time off, hence an impromptu vacation here in Texas."

A sly smile emerged on Missy's face—one of the few similarities the twins both have is their lips, the shape, and the way it contorts into something charmingly annoying. "Oh, girl! I know you've been very successful with your science stuff. It's what Mom's been telling me since it's all that Sheldon was yapping about! You know, I never heard Sheldon talk about someone else for hours, except for his science dudes and dudettes. That one time I overheard them calling, he was with you in New Hampshire, it took Mom a lot of persuading for him to end the call! Well, it only ended when you stirred in your sleep and we could hear you grumbling in the background."

Amy turned rosy. "Oh, that's embarrassing!"

"Don't be! I betcha Sheldon took care of you, right?" Missy followed it with a wink as though they were not being spied on by Sheldon, who's ears had turned equally red as his back was into them.

Amy kept her head down. She was not embarrassed by the relationship that she and Sheldon had established. But a family member of her husband teasing her in jest, brought her back the first time Frank and Sheldon met. Frank was nothing short of gratified at his little sister's companion, but there were quite a few playful teasings that always made her blush.

Missy must have misunderstood her gesture. She lowered her voice and whispered, "Is Sheldon treating you right?"

Her eyes widened in astonishment. "Yes! Yes, he does."

"Between you and me, I always worry about the people within his circle. You know how he is," Missy replied in relief. "That's why when I heard about that stupid contract he had with Mom, I knew he wouldn't last. I bet Meemaw 10 bucks that he will go here and do a dramatic scene where the 20-page contract will be shredded, or torn into pieces and thrown in the air, or maybe light it on the campfire."

"Boy, oh, boy, we were mistaken!" Missy continued. "A few weeks after that, Mom told us he found the woman he was gonna marry, and Meemaw became 10 dollars richer! Not long after that, we heard from Mom that you two were gonna get hitched!"

"Sorry for the inconvenience." Amy smiled apologetically at the semi-rant of her sister-in-law. She thought Missy was about to explode with expletives but with witty anecdotes instead.

"Inconvenience?! Oh, sister, if you call keeping our lovely, eccentric brother away from us for a while, then, by all means, keep the inconveniences coming!"

The two shared a laugh, prompting Sheldon to peek from the living room, frowning and waiting for his wife to finish.

"Seriously, Amy. Did you put something on Sheldon's food, because I had never seen him act that way."

"Me either. It's like he's changing. But don't say that to him, change is a touchy subject."

* * *

Days were spent either talking or exploring Galveston and the neighboring towns, even arriving at the coast. Their third day, Sheldon got to drive his Meemaw to the senior center; apparently, it was Contact Bridge Saturday and Meemaw wouldn't want to miss every second of it. Meanwhile, Amy, Missy, and Mary, alongside Noah, spent the morning huddled in a diner for brunch, enjoying each other's company.

When all was said and done, Missy dropped off Amy and Noah in Mary's house, delighted to have seen Sheldon perched on the living room sofa and watching TV. Without any word, Missy drove off with Mary.

"What am I supposed to do with this one?" Sheldon questioned as he carried Noah at arm's length, his tiny feet dangling, his hand stuck to his mouth, all the while mumbling incoherent words.

Amy looked at him incredulously. "That's your nephew," she reiterated, softly snorting in derision.

"I'm aware. But what do I do? Should I cook food for him?" Sheldon continued carrying him, wincing when he felt wetness in his thumb, a sheen river dropped on Noah's chin and onto his hand. "Does he need a diaper change because you know I will not do that."

"First off, you can put him down on his feet. You know he can walk, right?"

"That didn't cross my mind." He carefully stood Noah on the carpeted floor, contemplating if he should be putting him there. "Thank you for that suggestion, Amy," he said, satisfied to see his nephew wobble a little bit and plop down, surrounded by his toys.

"I don't know what came across Missy's brain that she has to drag along Mom and leave us here with Noah!"

"Be grateful. I had a hunch that she was going to leave Noah here with you. I feigned exhaustion, probably the reason why we're all here." Amy dropped to her knees and cooed, "Right, No?"

Noah looked at her and gave Amy a sweet smile, his four front teeth and budding lateral incisors peeking. "See! He agrees!" she bellowed in amusement. "You're so cute, you little Mister. Are you enjoying your time with Uncle Shelly?"

"Amy!"

"He seemed to like this setup."

Sheldon retreated to the couch, contemplating on hunched back and placid expression on his face. Would a child be the missing component of their marriage? Would it be too rash to talk about it now, device a timeline for future references? Amy seemed to enjoy the child's company. First with Sunny, now with Noah.

It was amusing to witness his wife cave into a tiny human despite the fact that it was their first time meeting. An affinity to a relative was given, but an affinity to someone you know through words and stories, it was something he didn't expect. Amy being herself, her face brightened, lack-jawed and elated, she gazed at Noah, the first time they met three days ago like they were long-lost friends allowed to meet again.

Sheldon watched as their interaction surpassed levels. First, there was sheer excitement and thrill between the two, exchanging silly faces. Second, a disheartened whimper from Noah, frustrated that his block was not going through the hole—a star-shaped block surely wouldn't go through the circle hole. Amy let out a tickled laugh. Finally, Noah couldn't take it anymore, letting out a much louder scream, he loosened his grip on the block and slouched, gazing up at Amy as though he was asking for help.

Sheldon panicked. He looked out at Amy who appeared somewhat unworried about the storm that's about to ensue. Before words of worry came out of his mouth, Amy sprung into action, not before observing Noah whimper, carrying the little boy and giving him a hug. Noah continued his woes, albeit all mellowed down, and rubbed his forehead on Amy's shoulder repeatedly. _"Sleepy,"_ she mouthed to him, caressing the boy's back and drawing him closer.

At that moment he realized that, whether Amy says yes or no to having children, she would be the best mother. If she doesn't want any of them, then it's up to the people around them to sire offspring so that he could feel the enchantment he's feeling at that moment.

* * *

"Amy, why don't ya walk me across the street?" Meemaw muttered gruffly as she pushed her hand onto the sofa arm and stood herself.

"Me?" Her throat began to narrow. _Why me?_ _What does Meemaw want from me?_

She then heard Sheldon volunteer, shooting up from his seat like a proud man. "I'll do it, Meemaw."

"No, I want Amy." Meemaw was resolute, giving her grandson a sweet smile, then Amy a spine-chilling one.

Amy tailed behind her husband's precious grandmother. She dragged her feet through the asphalt, street lamps flickering with her every step. They crossed the road and a few houses adjacent to the Coopers was Meemaw's very own.

"Come in," she said, not looking back.

"A-Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt, Constance." Her name just rolled out of Amy's tongue. _Shoot._ She and Sheldon had never discussed how she would call his Meemaw. Constance was the closest, most respectful, name she could call her. She assumed that Meemaw, or even Connie, is a name that is to be earned, by way of an initiation perhaps.

She stood by the door, watching as the old woman walked to the kitchen. Constance asked, "Do you take your tea hot or cold?" as she pointed at the small breakfast nook by the window.

"At this time of night, I-I usually take hot, but whatever you want . . . of course." Amy carefully strode to seat herself where Sheldon's grandmother pointed at, ruminating where she should sit as there are four chairs and Meemaw pointed at a specific one.

Amy observed a slight grin forming on the woman's lips. She prepared her kettle and drew out two cups. The nimbleness of the woman resembled Sheldon's. The way she tore the packaging, the calm yet the elaborate way she positioned the packet, the manner she poured in the hot water and the time she waited for it to steep. Amy started to wonder whether Sheldon's obsession in teas was influenced by his grandmother.

"Just so ya know, I'll take either answer. I have sweet tea in the fridge, you and Moonpie swing by tomorrow so that I can cook for you."

The teacups clinked on the table as Amy carried it from the counter. She sat down and swirled the amber liquid. She couldn't take her eyes off it. Despite her fear of being chastised, the warmth brought by the tea was reassuring.

"I'm a born and bred Southerner, Dear, family moved from Oklahoma to the bay." Amy looked up in anticipation as Constance started talking. "Ya know, when I was a youngin', people were very courteous and friendly. With a few nasty cruds," Constance snorted. "But, hear me." Amy retreated to her seat. "Moonpie ain't your typical religious and friendly Southern boy."

"And then he's about to get married? Oh, Ma'am, I've never been happier in my life!"

"R-Really?" The weight had lifted off of Amy's chest. _Am I hearing things?_ Her jaw dropped but she caught it immediately.

"Darn right!" Meemaw pounded the mahogany table before cackling hysterically. "Ya thought I was gon' give you the third degree?"

"I-I just expected . . ." Amy was quite flustered by her reaction. "Well, Sheldon said you were a fierce lady."

"That boy never shuts up. He got that from me," Meemaw said proudly. "Of course, I am. But that ain't gonna stop me from being happy for our boy! You picked the right Cooper, and I'm 10 dollars richer. Ain't that somethin'?"

* * *

"What is this?" Amy peered from her glasses.

Sheldon pulled his white undershirt over his head, ditching his flannel top for a cooler night. "A brief questionnaire."

" _'How would you rate your stay?'_ " She looked at it incredulously as if she were handed a paper with a large, red _C+_ mark. "What is this—customer satisfaction feedback?"

"Well, your feedback will be very helpful for future visits. What fabric conditioner Missy should have used? What food should my Mother prepare? Was my Meemaw too garrulous? Did Noah inflict some kind of disruption that might have made your stay unpleasant? Did Jacob need to change his car freshener scent? To be honest, lemon is not my cup of tea. That, of course, is within the context of freshener scents; I love lemon tea, especially with a teaspoon of honey."

That toothy grin he flashed would be Amy of 6 months ago's demise. But now, she knew when the toothy grin is a way to flaunt his cuteness amid a screw-up or a grin with genuine intentions. And it sure isn't the latter.

"First off, this is not a hotel," she clarified sternly, "And secondly, I couldn't be more grateful for your family. They were nothing but welcoming."

"Great." He clapped his hand in joy. "How about me? Was I not very reachable? I blame Meemaw; she always wants me to visit her. I-I can drive us back to the airport, but I can't drive through the Galveston Bridge. The view of the open ocean makes me queasy."

"Sheldon, you're rambling again," she chided softly. "Our flight is in 2 days. And how about we just talk about my experience here. We don't need to answer a survey."

"Alright." Sheldon tucked himself beneath the covers. "H-How are you?" he stuttered.

Amy cocked her head and smirked. "Sheldon, you know I've never been better."

He closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm happy to hear that."

"And I'm happy that I get to be with you again without being subjected to yet another workday." In a loving gesture, Amy pecked him on the lips and tapped his cheek.

With hesitation, Sheldon confided to Amy about his decision. "This will be the last vacation I will be taking this year."

"Why?"

"Holidays are given, but leaving work just because—I think this might be the last."

"Aww," Amy moaned softly, moping at the decision. "I was going to bring you back to New Hampshire." She intended for it to be explanatory, but it came out as a temptation Sheldon knew he could not resist.

"Really?!" he asked giddily, only to retract the emotion that might spur Amy into delusive enticement. "I mean, it depends." _I_ _f he remembers, Amy does a mean coaxing._

"It depends?" Amy scoffed at Sheldon's jocular attempt at being rough and tough. "I know you want it there. Dee's giving birth in August, and they might need me there to take care of Sunny. Traveling and giving birth in New York just so they can be closer to relatives seems very stressful for Dee," she revealed. "So Aunt Amy's to the rescue."

At the moment, Sheldon knew that Amy's docile demeanor, not to mention her brother's family's identical docile demeanor, would lure him into taking the bait. And Amy knew all along that, other than physics, Sheldon would be happiest with people surrounding him lovingly, just how he's been in Texas.

* * *

_**THE END**_


End file.
